2^^-. 



t LIBHAKY 1)F C ^MIHE SS. i 



f UNITED STATES OF Ai¥ERICA. 



I 



THE 



AMERICAN HORSE DOCTOR, 



COXTATXIXf; A DESCRIPTION OF THE 



DIFFERENT DISEASES OF THE HORSE, 



TOGETHER WITH THE 



Latest aad most Approved Mode of Treatment^ 



WRITTEN IX PLAIN lANCrAGE, 



DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR HORSE OWNERS. 

/ 

13y Dr. D. j/sELDE:Nr, 



VETERINARY SURGEON, KT. VERNON, O. 




CLEVELAND: 

FAIRBANKS, BENEDICT A CO., PRINTERS, HERALP OFFICE. 
1 S 6 . 

c/ 



Eutexcd according to Act of Congress, ia the year 18G6, b}^ 

Dr. D. J. SHELDEN, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, 

in and for the Northern District of Ohio. 



ip 






TO ALL OWNERS OF HORSES WHO HA^'E BEEN LOOSERS 

BY MALPRACTICE OR IMPOSITIONS AT THE HANDS 

OF THE IGNORANT OR DESIGNING, 

THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 

BY THE AUTHOR. 



A B V E K T I S E M E N T . 

Since writing this book the Author has concluded^to 
illustrate it by attaching a Chart containing about one 
hundred and forty cuts illustrating the different dis- 
eases. This chart has been obtained only at great 
expense, but by making this addition it will be the 
most complete and useful work for horse owners that 
has ever been published. 

It is not designed to sell this book through the book 
stores or any of the many publishing houses. The only 
place that it can be obtained is of the Author. By 
enclosing Five Dollars in a letter and sending it to Dr. 
D. J. Selden, at Mt. Vernon, Oliio, it will insure a 
copy by return mail. 



PKEFACE. 

TuE AuTHOii of tliis work lias beeu practising and 
teacliiug tlie Science of Doctoring Horses for more tliau 
thirteen j'ears. AYitli this extended experience he has 
become satisfied of the necessity- of there being a more 
extended kuowledg ^ among liorse owners with refer- 
ence to the diseases of horses. In this coimtry we 
have no Veteriuarj- Scliool, or at least none of any 
great repute, and but very few Veterinary Surgeons, 
consequentl}^ most owners of horses are obliged to do 
their own horse doctoring. Hence the necessity of a cor- 
rect guide to be in the hands of every owner of horses 
There have been three difterent classes of Horse Doc- 
tor Books already'- issued in this country : One class 
is those really scientific works that are designed for 
the Veterinary Surgeon alone, as the}' are too compli- 
cated and written in too high language for the use of 
horse owners. Then there is a class of small receipe 
books that are reall}* good, but they fail to give the 
requisite knowledge to make application of the receipes. 
Then there is a class that are written l^y men who have 
no knowledge about the diseases of horses, and only 
issue them to make money. No doubt but some sci- 
entific men, in perusing this book, may condemn it be- 
cause it is in such plain language, if there are such 
homely phrases made use of to convey the ideas ; or 
they ma}' say that it does not contain enough, or that 
it should have shown more interest on the subject of 
anatomy. To the first objection I have to say that this 
work is designed especially for persons that have no 



medical education, and if tliey can understand it the 
educated certainly ought to. To the next objection I 
have simply to say that I think it contains all that is of 
use to the owners of horses ; and to the last objection, 
it would be almost impossible to get most horse own- 
ers to read on the subject of anatomy, they considering 
it too dry and of but little use to them. 

In compiling this work the Author has been careful 
to use such language as may be readily comprehended, 
and to give instructions that would be of the most use 
to horse owners. With this conviction he offers it to 
the public. 

THE AUTHOR. 



REMARKS AND EXPLAMTIONS. 



Undoubtedly there is no subject in which own- 
ers of horses are more interested than the diseases 
of horses, and still there is no subject that is lock- 
ed up in such ignorance and superstition. Even 
what are called our best horse men have no knowl- 
edge about the disease. They are mostly governed 
in their treatment by what they have learned of 
that most ignorant class, such as stage drivers and 
stallion groomers, and because they are wide- 
mouthed in self-praise of their knowledge in man- 
aging and doctoring horses, their words are con- 
sidered by most of horse men as law and gospel. 
It seems to me that the simple matter of being a 
horse owner for many years, or having been among 
horses a long time is a poor recommend for a horse 
doctor. I think the only recommend that is of 
any account is the number of scientific works that 
the person has attentively studied, and the num- 
ber of subjects that they dissected. I would much 
rather trust a sick horse in the hands of some good' 
common-sense person, that had never been associ- 
ated with these horse men, because his mind would 



8 

be iiiitrammeled by these superstitious and bigoted 
natives. I have always found that those that talk 
the most and make the greatest pretensions were 
really the mopt ignorant they attempt to make 
up in blow and bluster what they lack in knowl- 
edge. The better way for any person that has 
sick horses, if they have not confidence in their 
own ability, pay no attention to what every person 
that comes along may recommend, for if you do, 
it will be most sure to result in injury to the pa- 
tient. It is truly astonishing with what readiness 
every person will prescribe for a sick horse, if they 
are not the owner; they arc always willing to have 
experiments tried on their neighbors' horses but 
when they get a sick horse they are sure to call for 
advice, which shows at once that there is a want 
of confidence in themselves when their own prop- 
erty is at stake. I have cautioned all horse own- 
ers to beware of all such and take none of their 
advice. Do not be led into giving medicine when 
they tell you that it will do no harm if it does no 
good, or W'hen they claim that they have cured 
some horse that was sick in the same way; for per- 
haps it was sick in the same Avay, but the chances 
are that it was not, for such persons are not capa- 
ble of judging whether it was the same disease or 
not. 

I will now give some plain advice which it will 
be well for every owner of horses to treasure up. 



When you are about to examine a sick horse do 
not approach the horse, but stand off and notice 
his appearance, his position and motions and 
the appearance of the countenance, then ob- 
tain all that is possible about the history of the case 
from the person that has had the horse in charge. 
And here let me caution the practitioner to not 
take all that they may tell for truth, for oft times 
they will purposely deceive in order to have it 
correspond to their own notions or they may de- 
ceive through their ignorance, but believe only 
so much as looks reasonable. Be careful about ex- 
pressing an opinion until you have made a 
thorough examination and are sure you are right. 
Do not be governed by what others may say, but 
make your own examination and rely entirely on 
your own judgment; form your judgment accord- 
ing to the symptoms, and when once formed do 
not alter your opinion unless there is some new 
symptom discovered. After noting the appearance 
of the horse, approach him in a gentle and kind 
manner, and notice the pulse, (the number of times 
per minute — the natural pulse is about thirty-six 
per minute), you feel the pulse by placing the fin- 
gers on the inner edges of the lower jaw-bone un- 
til you find a small artery about the size of a pipe 
stem. Not only notice the number of pulsations 
but the size of the artery, and whether it feels 
ridged and hard or whether it is full and soft. A 



10 

quick pulse denotes excitement or inflamation. A 
quick and hard or wirey pulse we find in inflama- 
tion of tiie bowels, and, also, some other diseases. 
A soft and not too full a pulse is considered a good 
symptom, as it shows that there is a free circula- 
tion. A slow but jerking pulse, together with 
coldness of the limbs, denotes congestion. A little 
practice in examining the pulse will be of great 
benefit to the practitioner. After noticing the 
pulse then look into the nostrils, and the color of 
nostril tells how the horse feels, as well as the color 
of a man's face indicates his feelings, then feel the 
limbs and ears; see whether they are cold or hot; 
listen to the sound of the lungs, by placing the 
ear upon the left side of the horse, just back of 
the forward leg, see if there is any unnatural sound; 
then place the hand against the bowels and press 
hard to see if there is any soreness of the bowels, 
in this way the practitioner may, by being careful, 
form an opinion what organs are afl^ected, then 
make up your mind what efifect you want to pro- 
duce on the patient and what medicine will be 
most likely to produce that effect, and give the re- 
quired dose, and be sure and give it time to pro- 
duce an effect before giving more. It is not 
expected that the practitioner will always use just 
exactly the medicine that is recommended in this 
book, but use something that will produce the 
same effect, and when you are in doubt go to your 



11 

nearest physician and consult him about it, as the- 
diseases of horses and men are almost exactly alike 
and want doctoring with the same medicines, us- 
ing twelve times as much as you would for a man- 
Be sure you never give medicine until you are sure 
what is the matter and what efiect you want to 
produce and then do not give over doses, thinking 
that if a little is good more is better, for some 
medicines, when you give over doses, will create- 
the very disease which you are trying to destroy,. 
And finally, good common-sense is about all that 
is required to treat most of cases successfully. 



TFIE AMERICAN HORSE DOCTOR. 



CHAPTER I. 
DISEASES OF THE BRAIN. 

INFLAMMATION CF THE BRAIN. 

The real cause of this disease is unknown, but 
probalj arises from over exertion or exercising on a 
full stomach. The symptoms are that the horse 
will be dull and stupid for a few hours or days, 
then will become wild and furious, is apparantly 
crazy, the countenance will have a wild expression, 
perhaps beat and thump around in a fearful man- 
ner, perhaps get the breast against a beam or fence 
and stand and pull with all his strength, or may 
Tun in a circle. 

The treatment is first, bleed from the neck, 
from one quart to one gallon, or until the horse 
seems to be easier, then bind cloths on the head 
wet with cold water and change them often so as 
to be sure to keep them cold; give 1 1 pints of 
linseed oil in a drench or any kind of physic 
that may be most handy ; repeat the physic every 



13 

12 or 15 hours until it operates, and in the mean- 
time give the following. 1 oz. tincture of lobelia,, 
i oz. tinct. of opium, every hour until better. 
This is a fearful disease and usually results in 
death, and many times in a few hours, but the 
above treatment is all that can be done. 

BLIND STAGGERS. 

Cause, over feeding and over exertion on a full 
stomach. 

Symptoms. — The horse is usually taken sud- 
denly, while driving, with a staggering gait, does 
not mind the rein, perhaps falls, and while down 
struggles and keeps the limbs moving as though 
still traveling. 

Treatment. — Bleed from the neck vein until 
somewhat better, then give a strong dose of any 
kind of physic that may be most handy, and give 
Tincture of Lobelia 1 oz. at a dose every hour 
until better, then a run at grass for a few weeks 
if convenient ; if not give the cleansing powders 
every day for two or three weeks, and it will 
probably not return again if it is the first attack. 
But if the horse has had more than one attack 
there is no chance for a cure, and it may return 
at almost any time, and without any apparent 
cause. The attacks becoming more frequent until 
at some time they result in death. Such a horse 
is dacgeious to drive and of but little value. 
There are other diseases of the brain, such a.s 



14 

Megins, Appolexj. Vertigo, Concussion of the 
Erain, Lethargy, &c., &c., which, it is not necessary 
"to discribe in a work of this size, and it is of no 
practical benefit to the horse owner ; for in all 
Brain diseases there is so much similarity to 
■what has already been said, and the treatment be- 
ing about the same and fully laid down, the 
author does not deem it best to bewilder the horse 
■owner with mere technicalities. 

HYDROPHOBIA OR MADNESS, 

This is caused by the bite of some rabid animal 
•and usually demonstrates itself within six weeks 
after the bite ; but it is stated by some authors 
that the poison may remain dormant in the system 
for a year before it results in apparent injury. 

Symptoms. — This seems to be almost entirely a 
mervous disease, and first the horse will commence 
iicking his skin with wonderful energy in dififer- 
■ent places, which seems to itch intolerably ; the 
appetite is always affected; sometimes there will 
he but little appetite, then again he will eat every- 
thing before him even to the most filthy, or dry 
-and hard substances. Sometimes he may drink 
large quantities of water, then again the sight of 
water may cause spasms. Then he will have 
regular spasms, frothing at the mouth and 
biting at any article that may be in his way. 
The spasms becoming more frequent, until death 
•ends the suffering. Whenever there ii 



15 

that a horse has been bitten by a rabid animal or 
shows symptoms of madness he should be put into 
a strong stable by himself, and as few people al- 
lowed to go near him as possible until the case is 
clearly made out, and if it is a case of hydropho- 
bia the humane man would cause the horse to be 
shot or put to death immediately, in some way, so 
as to end his misery, as there is no possible chance 
for him to recover. 

TETANUS, OR LOCK-JAW 

Is caused, usually, by some injury, such as a 
prick from a nail, or knife, or any sharp instru- 
ment penetrating or injuring some nerve, or it 
may be caused by being out in a cold storm or a 
sudden draught of air, and many other causes that 
will effect the nervous system. 

Symptoms. — The tail is elevated, the ears point- 
ed forward, the head raised, the legs stiffened 
and stretched out, and the jaws tightly locked; 
the membrane in the inner corners of the eye is 
drawn backward so as to partly cover the sight of 
the eye ; which shows clearly that it is a case of 
lock-jaw. 

Treatment. — Place the animal in a solitary sta- 
ble and allow no person to go near him but the 
one that he is most acquainted with, first having 
given him a large dose of physio, place a bucket 
of water and some food within reach, and leave 



16 

him alone, only going often enough to change the 
food and water, and if the disease lasts so long 
that there is dan^^er of the horse starving, life 
may be sustained by introducing a tube of gutta 
percha or some soft substance into the nostril and 
inject with a syringe through the tube a sufficient 
quantity of corn meal gruel to sustain life. 

This disease scarcely ever lasts more than four 
or five days, and everything depends on keeping 
the horse entirely quiet, free from even the small- 
est cause of excitement, and getting the bowels 
open and keeping them loose. It would also be 
of service if you could get some Tincture of Lobelia 
down him in some way. Say 1 oz. every hour in 
-^ pint of water. 

PARALYSIS, PARTIAL OK COMPLETE. 

This is a difiiculty of the spinal nerve, caused 
by a strain, taking cold, or some undue exer- 
cise or exertion, and may come on very sudden, 
and is often times mistaken for a difiiculty of the 
kidney, or strain across the loin. It is tn be re- 
membered that all motion is controlled by the 
nerves, which originate in the brain, and pass 
out through the first bone of the neck, (except 
the cptic nerve of the eye,) and along the 
back, branching out in Jifi'erent directions to 
every part of the system. Consequently, when 
there is an injury to this spinal nerve, all of the 



17 

system back of the iDJury is paralysed just in 
proportion to the amount of injury. Complete 
paralysis is when the nerve is so badly injured 
that the animal looses the entire use of the part 
which lays back or beyond it. Partial paralysis 
is when the injury is so slight as not to loose all 
motion. In some cases it will only affect one 
limb or one side, or only the hinder parts, or 
nearly the whole system may be affected. When 
it is the hind part that is affected, most persons 
think that it is a strain across the loin and conse- 
quently will subject the horse to much suffering 
by applying blisters or stimulating medicines to 
the loins. This kind of treatment is entirely 
useless in paralysis and, I think, injurious. If it 
is possible to determine the exact location of the 
injury it is best to apply some cooling application, 
like salt and water, or something to subdue in- 
flammation, keep the bowels loose by giTing bran 
mashes, and, if necessary, some mild physic, like 
linseed oil, say 1 pint at a dose, just to keep the 
bowels open ; then give strychnine, half grain at 
a dose, twice per day, made into a pill by mixing 
flour with it and increase it gradually, so that in 
six weeks to have it so worked up to one grain 
and a half at a dose and leave the rest to nature. 
This is a lingering complaint and when they get 
well, it takes many months, for there is little that 
can be done with medicine. 



CHAPTER II. 

DISEASES OF THE EYE. 

Most of the writers on the Horse have divided 
the Diseases of the Eye into a number of different 
classes. That is all well enough for the scien- 
tific practitioner, but in this country where we 
have no Veterinary Schools, or at least none that 
have acquired any reputation, we have so very 
few really scientific practitioners, that most of the 
horse owners have, of necessity, to be their own 
horse doctors, and as this book is designed for the 
horse owners instead of Veterinary Surgeons, it 
would be the greatest of folly for me to give a 
detailed description of all the different diseases 
when the treatment is the same in all. It matters 
not what disease it is that ails the eye, the princi- 
ple is to reduce inflammation and to strengthen the 
eye. This, in slight cases, may usually be done 
by the application of cold water, which should be 
applied by bathing the eye at least every half 
hour during the day time, each day, until the 
inflammation has entirely subsided. Then bathe it 
three or four times per day for two or three weeks 
until it has had time to gain strength. If this 



19 

should fail, use the following wash : 2 grains of 
sugar of lead, 1 grain sulphate of zinc, 1 dramtinct. 
of opium, 1 dram tinct. of arnica, 2 oz. soft water. 
This should be applied three times per day by put- 
ting a twitch on the nose, then put the nose or mouth 
of the phial into the eye, being careful that the phial 
is perfectly smooth, and tip it up, letting the medi- 
cine run in. The eye will clear up in three or 
four days and look much better ; then reduce the 
medicine by adding water, and continue to use it 
for two or three weeks after it looks entirely well, 
so as to gain strength. If the disease still proves 
stubborn, give the cleansing powder for two weeks, 
put a rowel into the cheek below the eye and 
continue the wash. If this all fail there is but 
little chance for a cure. Do not use any of those 
harsh and cruel medicines which are so frequently 
used, for the horse's eye is as tender as your own. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE MOUTH. 

LAMPERS 

Is supposed by most liorse owners to be a very- 
troublesome complaint among young horses, and 
ignorance has caused much cruelty to be practised 
on that noble animal for a purely imaginary com- 
plaint. I have been practising for near fourteen 
years and have never seen a case of lampers. It 
is natural for the gums of the upper portion ol the 
mouth in all young horses to protrude or drop 
below the teeth, some more than others, and they 
do no harm. If the horse should have the lam- 
pers, the gums would be as red as scarlet with 
inflammation, and then I think that burning, 
which is so much in practice, would be a very bar- 
barous way to reduce inflammation. In most cases 
when horses are supposed to have the lampers the 
difficulty is in the back part of the mouth, for the 
colt at three years old cuts eight grinders, or 
molar teeth, and the same at four years old. 
With some young horses they are very sore, and, 
consequently, it is difficult for the horse to feed, 
but let it alone and it will all come right, but if 



21 

iguorance or superstition still prompts you to do 
somethinof for an imaginary complaint, I think a 
little scarifying, or cutting the gums, should sat- 
isfy you, and the less the better. 

I might here say that a horse scratching the 
tail against the side of the barn or stall has nothing 
to do with the mouth, but take a little saleratus 
water and wash the tail two or three times and 
it will end the difficulty. 

CANKER, OR SORE MOUTH. 

These are small ulcers or canker sores forming 
on the mouth and tongue, with inflammation and 
sometimes swelled lips. Others make several dif- 
ferent diseases of sore mouth, but I shall include 
it all in one, so as not to confuse the owner. Wash 
the mouth two or three times a day with the fol- 
lowing wash : Borax 5 oz., sage tea 1 gallon, honey 
or molasses 1 quart. After it has cooled hold the 
horse's head up and pour half a pint into the 
mouth ; after a moment let the head down and 
allow the wash to run out. Keep the bowels open 
by soft food, and do not permit the horse to be 
worked until the disease has entirely disappeared. 
If it proves stubborn, give the cleansing powders 
for a week or more, to cleanse the blood. In all 
cases of injury to the tongue or lips by the bit or 
other means, treat the same as any other injury, 
as will be explained in the proper place. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE NOSTRILS. 

NASAL GLEET, 

Is a discharge from tlie nostrils ; sometimes 
only one nostril, but more commonly both are 
affected. The discharge will vary in color and 
quantity, sometimes being nearly white, at other 
times being yellow or even a dark brown. It 
usually has no bad smell, but in bad cases the dis- 
charge has a very bad smell. It does not seem to 
affect the general health of the horse but if bad, 
he will run down and loose flesh unless well cared 
for. This disease is not contagious and I do not 
think there is any danger of its terminating in 
glanders, it is caused by exposure or the result of 
distemper, or it may result from a blow or injury 
to the head. 

Treaiment. — Let the horse have rest; take of 
allum I lb., resin h. lb., blue vitrol ^ lb , ginger 
2 lb. Mix all well together, and give a table 
spoonful twice per day, being careful to keep the 
bowels loose by giving bran mashes, or green 
feed. It will take some time to complete a cure, 



23 

but do not get discouraged but continue the medi- 
cine. 

NASAL POLYPUS, 

Is a pendulous sack wbicb forms in the nostril 
and only attached to the membrane lining of the 
nose at the upper end, and hanging down in the 
nostril and becomes so large as to obstruct the 
breathing, for it is to be remembered that a horse 
cannot breathe through the mouth. The only 
cure is to take a zinc wire and bend it in such a 
shape as to work it up above the sack to the neck 
or small part, and draw it tight around it and leave 
it, and it will slough off in a few days. There is an 
instrument made in somewhat the form of a crook- 
ed pair of shears that is used to separate the sack 
from the membrane, but it is difficult to obtain 
them, so the best means usually at hand is to use 
the wire. Often times it will grow in again; if so 
remove it in the same way. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE THROAT. 

SORE THROAT. 

This disease seems to be contagious for when it 
once gets into a stable most of the horses in the 
stable are apt to have it, and through the neigh- 
borhood. The first perhaps that would be noticed 
is a dry hacking cough, and within a few days a 
difficulty of swallowing, which will continue to get 
worse and worse, until it is with the greatest of 
difficulty that the horse can swallow water, and 
within a few days there will be a copious dis- 
charge of matter from the nostrils, and perhaps 
the mouth, and in a few days the horse will re- 
cover. There is usually no swelling on the out- 
side of the throat, but in a few cases I have seen, 
the glands swell similar to distemper, but there 
will be much more soreness on the inside of the 
throat; the horse will seem to be much weaker, and 
experience greater difficulty of swallowing than 
with distemper. 

Treatment. — When the horse is taken sick put 
him in some place where he can have plenty of 
pure air to breathe, give only soft moist food or 



25 

gruel to drink. Give no Medicine unless there 
is great difficulty of breathing, if there is put a 
poultice of common brown sugar and bar soap, 
equal parts moistened with water on to the throat 
by means of a bandage about six inches wide, long 
enough to come under the throat and over the 
head to tie ; tear into each end in three places, 
so as to make four tails to it ; bring it up over 
the head, and tie two of these tails together in. 
front of the ears and two back of the ears, and it 
will then keep its place and hold the poultice. 
Leave this on, keeping it moist, until the discharge 
is running freely from the nose, and if there is 
great difficulty of breathing it is a good plan to 
build a small fire and put a little tar or old 
leather on it ; then put a blanket over the horse's 
head, and hold his nose over the smoke, making 
him breathe as much of it as possible without 
strangling, and continue this for several hours, or 
until the horse breathes more free, or the dis- 
charge is free from the nostril. In most cases of this 
kind of sore throat, it is not necessary to use any 
medicine. They get along without anything. The 
danger seems to be of the inflammation in the 
throat becoming so great as to close the air pas- 
sage. Consequently all that is needed to be done 
is to get the discharge from the nostrils started, 
and the inflammation will soon subside. They are 
usually sick a week or two, and are apt to have a 



26 

coiigh for sometime afterward. If they do not 
seem to thrive after recovery, or the cough is bad, 
or ulcers break out afterwards in any part cf the 
body, it is because the blood needs cleansing, con- 
sequently give the cleansing powders for a w^eek 
or two. 

COUGH. 

This may be caused by an irritation of the lungs- 
or membrane lining of the Vvund pipe, or an irrita- 
tion of the upper portion of the wind pipe, what 
is called the larynx, which gives it the name of 
Laryngitus, and it may originate from a difficulty 
of the Bronchial tubes. It is very difficult for an 
inexperienced person to determine the exact loca- 
tion of the difficulty that causes the cough, so I 
think the best way would be to treat it on gener- 
al principles. Take a tea- spoonful of powdered 
lobelia and mix it with a handful of salt, and 
throw it into the feed box every day, and the- 
horse v/ill lick it up; and if this does not do, give 
the cleansing powder so as to regulate the whole- 
system, and give the following twice a day on the 
food : from ten to twenty drops Oil of Tar, Bal- 
sam of Copaiba, Tincture of Capsicum, and Tur- 
pentine, equal parts. 

CHOKING. 

When there is any foreign substance lodges in^ 
the Esophagus or what is commonlv called the- 



27 

gullet, there is no danger of it causing immediate 
death. In some cases it may be detected by feel- 
ing with the hand on the outside ; if so, it can 
generally be worked in a downward direction with 
the hands, but if you can't find it with the hand 
or cannot remove it, get a smooth round stick like 
a whip stalk that w^ll bend, and make a wad of 
tow or cloth on the end, and tip the head up, and 
introduce the stick down the throat ; and by gen- 
tle pressure force the substance down into the 
stomach. I have known horses to be choked on 
oats and to have the choke continue for six or 
seven days, and finally get vrell without any as- 
sistance. 



CHAPITER VI. 

DISEASE OF THE CHEST. 

LUNG FEVEll. 

With, most of authors on horse diseases they 
•give a lengthy description of the different dis- 
•eases of the chest, such as congestion in the 
field, congestion in the stable, Bronchitis or in- 
fiammation of the air passages, Plurisy and Pluri 
Pneumonia, all of which is either congestion or in- 
flammation of some of the different organs of the 
■chest, and the treatment being the same with each 
■of the organs, I do not deem it best to bewilder 
the horse owner by these nice destinctions, which 
is all right for the scientific practitioners, but 
would be likely only to lead the inexperienced in- 
to error. I shall proceed to describe the symp- 
toms (as they are nearly the same with each of 
the foregoing diseases,) and the treatment which 
:has universally proved successful with me. 

Symptoms. — These diseases usually commence 
by a chill or shivering fit, and the horse will stand 
back at the end of the halter, head down and 
breathing hard, legs rather braced out as though 
.afraid of falling ; will make no motion more than 



29 

to occasionally turn his head slowly around to his 
side, his legs will be cold, his ears cold and nose 
cold, the membrane of the nostril will have a very 
pale and sickly appearance. This is the conges- 
ted stage ; congestion of some of the organs of 
the chest. Now the object would be to cause the 
system to react, for the blood vessels of the conges- 
ted organ are over-charged with blood, while there 
is not enough blood in the extremities or limbs, 
which causes the coldness. Now our object should 
be to equalize the blood to get it to circulate all 
through the system as near alike as possible. 
This we do by rubbing the parts that are cold so 
as to draw the blood to them and relieve the con- 
gested organ or organs where there is too much 
blood. The horse should be well covered with 
blankets and his legs thoroughly rubbed with the 
naked hands or hay wisps by at least two persons 
at a time, or washed with hot red pepper tea or 
even warm water as warm as the hands will bear, 
and continue to rub and apply warm applications 
to the limbs until they get warm and the chill has 
passed off. I have attented many cases where 
this treatment alone actively applied has thrown 
the disease off entirely. Bat if the congestion is 
not relieved soon inflammation will follow. If in- 
flammation sets in you can readily tell by the ap- 
pearance of the skin or membrane jining of the 
nose assuming a red or fi^carlet appearance, the 



30 

legs will be hot, breath hot, tongue parched and 
dry, the pulse being full and quick, (the natural 
pulse is about thirty-six pulsations a minute.) If 
you cannot readily find the pulse, note the beating 
of the heart (which would be the same) place your 
ear down on the horses right side, just back of 
the forward leg, and listen carefully and you will 
discover an unnatural grating or harsh sound of 
the lungs, which you would readily detect by com- 
paring with a well horse, and then the great 
symptom is that with any of these diseases the 
horse never lies down until death occurs or the 
disease has left him. The trouble now is that the 
whole system has become contracted, or at least 
the blood vessels which cause the quick, hard 
beating of the heart in its effort to force the 
blood through the vessels, and forcing the blood 
through the contracted vessels produces friction, 
which causes the unnatural beat. 

Now our object should be to relax the whole 
system so as to enlarge the blood vessels and 
stop the friction, and so lessen the fever. This 
we do by giving repeated doses of anything that 
will make the horse sick at the stomach ; I gen- 
erally use tincture of lobelia, giving it in 1 ounce 
doses, mixing with water, every hour, until I 
have got the pulse or the beating of the heart 
down to at least fifty per minute ; then give the 
doses as would be necessary fo keep it down, and 



31 

as long as you can control the action of the heart, 
the patient is doing well enough, and will recover. 
In bad cases, it is well to blister the chest, and 
back of each of the forward legs, by rubbing in 
the following prescription: 2 oz. turpentine, 2 
oz. tincture of Spanish fly, 2 oz. aqua amonia, 1 
oz. oil organum. Mix all together, and rub in 
with the hand every hour until it blisters. If it 
is not convpijient to get tincture of lobelia, go to 
your nearest physician and get of him the same 
kind of medicine that he would give to the hu- 
man subject, using from eight to twelve times the 
quantity and use it the same, and treat the dis- 
ease as near as though it was a man as possible. 
But be very careful and not give any powerful 
physic, for with the horse, there is that sympathy 
existing between the chest and bowels, that to 
give physic with any of these diseases of the 
chest would most likely bring on inflammation of 
the bowels, which would be most certain to result 
in death. This is a disease that sometimes will 
result in death in seventeen hours, but more fre- 
quently lasts for several days, and even weeks ; 
and when they recover, it is usually slow. I 
used to follow the old fashioned treatment of 
bleeding and blistering for this disease, and used 
to lose many patients ; but since I have adopted 
the above treatment I have never lost a patient 
where I have had the management from the com- 



32 

mencement. I neglected to notice that the bow- 
els should be moved two or three times per day 
by giving injections up the rectum with a 
large syringe, of soapy warm water. Inject a 
quart at a time, and repeat every half hour until 
there is a passage. It is best for the horse own- 
er to bear in mind that whenever a horse has a 
chill, there is great danger of lung fever, and 
consequently it needs immediate and constant at- 
tention. Do not give any whiskey and pepper or 
any of those stimulating medicines that are often 
prescribed by the ignorant, for in many cases, the 
stimulating medicines bring on inflammation when 
otherwise it might pass off without further diffi- 
culty ; and after inflammation has once set in, all 
that is needed is to control the action of the 
heart. Do not pay any attention to what others 
may say who are so free to give advice without 
fee or reward. Remember that advice about dis- 
eases in men or horses, that is good, comes only 
from these that obtained their knowledge by hard 
study, and they value it too highly to voluntarily 
give it away. 

DROPSY OF THE CHEST. 

This is usually the result of pleurisy or lung fe- 
ver, or of bad treatment in either disease. This 
is easily detected by the sound of the lungs. 
Place the ear low down on the side and you will 



33 

hear no sound ; but back and High up you may 
hear the lungs, which will have a dull, heavy 
sound. Keep your ear against the horse while 
some one slaps the horse with the flat of the hand 
on the opposite side, and you will hear the sound 
of the water. There is but very little prospect of 
a cure. The only chance would be to tap the 
chest, and you would have to employ a Veteri- 
nary Surgeon, in order to get the proper instru- 
ments to do with, and the chances of a cure 
would be so slim that it would not pay to be to 
so much trouble about it. 

HEART DISEASE. 

This is not an uncommon disease among hor- 
ses, and it is very difficult, even for a practical 
Veterinary Surgeon to detect heart disease on the 
living subject, and if we could, it would be a 
matter of small importance, for there is no cure, 
and is certain to result in death, and that very 
sudden. The horse may appear well and even 
lively, and the next instant fall dead. Many ca- 
ses where horses have died suddenly with this 
disease, after a post mortem examination by inex- 
perienced persons, they have pronounced it Botts. 
The scientific man could have readily told that it 
was heart disease. 



CHAPTEI^ VII. 

DISEASES OF THE STOMACH. 

ACUTE INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. 

This disease is usually caused by some poison- 
ous drug which has been given to the horse, and 
the symptoms depend almost entirely upon the 
kind of poison that has been given ; and if it is 
not certainly known that poison has been given 
yo.u had better treat it as a case of cholic, for the 
symptoms will be nearly the same, and so with 
the treatment. But if it is known that poison 
has been given, then you give a pint of any kind 
of soft oil that might be at hand, and if not re- 
relieved in twenty minutes, give the following : 
I2 oz. tincture of opium, 1|- oz. sulphuric ether, 
I2 oz. tincture of camphor, i oz. saleratus. Mix 
with one pint of water, and if not better in i 
hour, repeat. 

CHHONIC INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. 

This disease is brought on by some derange- 
ment of the stomach. Bad food, standing in 
filthly stables are very common causes, and are 



35 

most Gommon at the age of five or six years. 
The symptoms vary with different subjects. 
There is always a deranged appetite. Perhaps 
the animal will not taste food at all, or may eat 
everything before him, or may refuse good clean 
food, and still eat the most filthy ; may gnaw old 
pieces of bricks, mortar, or clay ground, with 
seeming good appetite ; may have a sudden at- 
tack of scours, and as suddenly stop altogether 
and be troubled with costiveness. The dung will 
be dry and hard and easily crumbled when 
pressed upon. A dry cough may be present. 
The membranes of the nose and mouth have a 
pale appearance, the mouth is cold, and they 
soon lose flesh and become mere skeletons. I 
should commence the treatment by giving i oz. 
of saleratus dissolved in water, and repeat this 
once in every three or four days, and in the 
mean time, give the following powders : Pulver- 
ized blood root, 2 oz., gentian pulverized, 2 oz., 
ginger 4 oz. , calomel h oz. Mix all together and 
give a table spoonful twice a day in the feed, 
being careful to keep the bowels open by giving 
green or soft food, and if necessary, give a dose 
of linseed oil, one pint at a time. If the bowels 
are too loose, give the following : 1 oz. tincture of 
opium, 1 oz. tincture of camphor, 1 oz. tincture 
of capsicum, 1 oz. tincture rhubarb. Mix all 
together, and give T)ne half in i pint of water. 



36 

If not better in one hour, give the balance, and 
so continue the medicine as the symptoms may 
indicate. 

CKIB BITING OR WIND SUCKING 

Is by some considered as a disease, and by others 
a habit. Some contend that the habit is caused 
by a sourness of the stomach ; some contend that 
it is a habit learned by standing beside a cribber, 
or idleness, while others claim that it is learned 
while cutting teeth, the itching sensation of the 
gums causing the horse to bite on the manger, 
and learns the habit of cribbing. It is my opin- 
ion that all of these causes may produce the dif- 
ficulty or habit, but I believe that all have failed 
to find a cure. I think the best way to manage 
a cribber, is to keep him in a smooth stall, without 
manger, and suspend a basket by a rope to feed 
him, there being nothing to get his teeth on to he 
could not crib. Then when you take him out, 
have the throat strap of the bridle paade of thick 
leather and put some brads through it, so that 
when he attempts to crib, the glands of the neck 
fulls or swells out, and would fill the strap and 
cause the brads to stick him and cause him to let 

go- 

BOTS. 

Bots are a small grub or worm about three- 
fourths of ah inch long, of a brownish cast and 



37 

rough skin, that are attached or stuck into the 
inner or cuticules coating of the stomach of most 
horses that are kept in the country, but in large 
cities we frequently find horses without any Bots 
in the stomach, which shows that they are not 
necessary to the existence of the horse. They 
are also frequently found in the stomach of cows, 
oxen, sheep and dogs, and even in some cases in 
the human subject. They are said to originate 
from the eggs or larvae of the gad-fly that we so 
frequently see so busy in depositing their eggs on 
the hairs of the legs, shoulders and about the 
head. These eggs, by some means, probably by 
the horse licking the part and the hair adhering 
to the tongue, and by that means get into the 
stomach and then form the bot and remain at- 
tached or stuck into the walls of the stomach un- 
til the following spring, when having got their 
growth, let go and pass off through the alimentary 
canal, and after a short time are changed from a 
bot to a fly, when the female becomes pregnant 
and lays the eggs as before. It has never been 
determined why these bots are in the stomach, as 
they do no good, and it is my opinion, and I be- 
lieve that it is the opinion of all Veterinary Sur- 
geons of the present day they do no inj ury, or at 
least never cause sudden sickness or death. I am 
well aware that I shall meet with strong opposi- 
tion on this point by ignorant men, or men who 



38 

have failed to reason on this subject. In writing 
these pages I do not intend to pamper to the pre- 
judices or superstitions that have been handed 
down from generation to generation, since the 
days of witchcraft to the present, but to give to 
the public the benefit of my experince and reas- 
onings, and more especially on the subject of bots, 
thereby washing my hands of, and being no longer 
accessory to the murders thai are so frequently 
committed on that most noble of all animals the 
Horse. In the manner of bots, only to think of 
the mal-practice, ignorance and superstition that 
have been covered up by that wonderful and en- 
tirely imaginary disease called Bots. 

I will now give some of the reasons why I 
think bots never cause sickness or death of horses. 
First, that they do not choke a horse to death, 
because they cannot get into the wind pipe, and 
to clog the esophagus or gullet would not stop the 
breathing or effect any of the vital organs that 
would result in death until inflammation should set 
in and extend to the vitals, which would take 
several days. That they do not eat or knaw the 
stomach, because the mouth of the bot is so 
formed that it would be impossible, and while 
the stomach is in a healthy condition the little 
animal is too comfortably situated to attempt to 
destroy its own habitation, and when the stomach 
becomes diseased so that it becomes disagreeable 



89 

it would hardly be supposed that it would fall to 
work and eat large quantities of that which it 
was trying to escape from, and if they should eat 
the stomach so as to cause death there certainly 
would be marks of violence, such as would be 
plain for any man to see of blood spilled and la- 
cerated internal organs, until following the march 
of these infuriated insects they had passed through 
the strong and thick walk of the stomach and to 
attack upon the diaphragm or midrif, that strong 
wall which nature has placed to guard the en- 
trance to the vitals by way of the stomach, and 
have destroyed this wall, and have seized upon 
the vitals of their victim, and have wounded or 
pierced the heart or lungs, and have finally ac- 
complished their murderous designs. This may 
look like an overdrawn picture, but stop and rea- 
son. Is it not all true that for bots to cause 
death they must effect some of the vital organs, 
and the only way they could accomplish this 
would be by a direct attack, or by producing in- 
flammation of the stomach that would extend into- 
the vitals, which would take from four to twelve 
days to accomplish after the attack upon the 
stomach. But you must remember that there 
never was a case where bots was through the- 
stomach and the stomach was inflamed. Now 
unless you find that there has been a direct attack 
upon the vitals or that the injury to the stomach 



40 

has produced inflammation, and that extended to 
the vitals to cause death. You have no evidence 
that bots kill horses. Suppose that bots should 
penetrate the stomach, every sane man must know 
that would not produce death without inflamma- 
tion any more than the same injury would to the 
skin of the horse. A man would live with a hole 
shot through the stomach from four to twelve days, 
and in many cases have got well. Then why is 
it that the injury of a few bots to a horse's stom- 
ach should cause almost instant death ; and why 
is it that bots only practice their murderous de- 
signs on the horse when they are found so fre- 
quently in the stomach of other animals; and why 
is it that if sage tea, milk and molasses, or any 
other of the humbug remedies for this imaginary 
disease, will cause the bots to quit their murder- 
ous designs, and to heal the stomach of the injury 
that has already been done, and prevent inflamma- 
tion from following the injury in so short a space 
of time, as we are told that it will. Why would 
it not heal a bullet wound, or a wound produced 
by other means, in the same length of time ? The 
reason why men have run into these errors is be- 
cause they have believed that the same appear- 
ance which they find in a dead subject would 
appear in the live one. They do not stop to con- 
sider that the gastric fluid in a horse's stomach 
might destroy the strength of the stomach with- 



41 

out altering the appearance in twenty minutes 
after death, so that there is but little to hinder 
the hot from working through ; even a slight mo- 
tion to work a hole through ; and that when they 
find them in either the upper or lower passages, 
congregated in quantities, or through the stomach, 
that they are merely attempting to save their own 
lives by escaping from the dead carcas, where it is 
certain death to remain. Now I hope that the 
horse owner, after perusing the foregoing, will no 
longer torture the sick horse by giving these great 
bot remedies, or subject themselves to the loss of 
their valuable property by doctoring for an imag- 
inary disease, while the horse is dying with some- 
thing else. It is usually colic or inflammation of 
the bowels that ails horses that are supposed to 
have the bots. See article on Colic. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE BOWELS. 
SPASMODIC COLIC, i^RET OR GRIPES. 

This is a very common complaint and has prob- 
ably destroyed more horses than all other diseases- 
together, and still it is a disease that is most easily 
managed. I never knew a case where a horse 
died with colic when the 23erson that doctored 
him knew what ailed him, and doctored him for 
colic. But men are so apt to go to doctoring for 
that imaginary disease bots, or to mistake the 
disease in some way, that it has resulted in the 
death of thousands of valuable horses. 

Spasmodic colic is caused by a change of food, 
over driving, large draughts of cold water, stand- 
ing in a draught of cold air, and in some horses 
the digestive organs are so impaired that they are 
very subject to it. The pain is caused by a griping 
or pinching together of the outer coating of the 
intestines. Some call it cramp colic, and it is in 
reality cramping of this coating of the intestines 
which pinches the intestines together and causes 
that extreme pain ; then it will relax, let go and 



43 

the horse will be partially easy for a short time, 
when, perhaps, the spasmodic action will seize 
some other part of the gut, and so continue on, 
dodging about from place to place. After death 
the places where these spasms had seized the gut, 
may be easily recognized by the light or pale 
appearance, and being darker each side. Some 
owners of horses suppose that they never have the 
colic unless they bloat or swell. We often see 
men having colic and no bloating, and why not a 
horse? In fact there is probably twenty cases 
of colic where the horse does not swell to one 
where he does. 

The symptoms are perhaps a sudden catching 
up of the hind leg, or pawing with the forward 
foot, switching the tail, looking around toward 
the side, biting at the side, turning up the upper 
lip, hump up and lie partly down, perhaps lie 
clear down, paw, kick and thrash about, perhaps 
lie down and roll over on the back, and show by 
all means that they are suffering pain in the bow- 
els. If the horse is discovered when first attacked, 
perhaps a handful or two of salt thrown into the 
mouth and a little gentle exercise will relieve 
him, but if not better in ten minutes give the fol- 
lowing : 1 oz. tincture of opium, 1 oz. sulphuric 
ether, 1 oz. tincture of camphor, half a pint of 
water. If not better in thirty minutes repeat, 
and in bad cases this may be ^increased, even. 



44 

doubled with safety, and continue to repeat every 
thirty minutes until relieved. I never failed in 
curing a case of colic with the above, alone, where 
there was enough life left in the patient for the 
medicine to have time to take effect. I have 
given this recipe to some men living who would 
not do without it for hundreds of dollars. Every 
owner of horses should prepare some of this, cork 
it up tight and keep it on hand, as colic is so com- 
mon and the cure so sure and easy. 

WINDY COLIC. 

This is caused by a sourness, or fermentation of 
the food in the stomach, which generates gas that 
bloats or swells the horse and causes intolerable 
pain. Death is caused by the gas rupturing the 
stomach or some of the intestines and escaping 
into the cavity of the body and pressing against 
the midrif, or diaphragm, with such force that the 
iungs can not be expanded, and consequently ends 
in suffocation ; or the stomach may be distended 
by the gas without rupture so as to produce suf- 
focation or smothering. This disease is usually 
very rapid in its course, and there is no time to 
be lost in applying remedies, after you are sure 
what ails them. The symptoms are about the 
■same that they are in spasmodic colic, with the 
■addition of the bloating. Give the following : 
Tincture of opium 1| oz., saleratus IJ oz., tinct. of 



45 

camphor H oz., sulphuric ether IJ oz. Mix all 
together, add one pint water. Repeat every half 
hour until better, and in the mean time it is well 
to give one or two injections of soapy water, add- 
ing a hand full of salt or a little red pepper tea, 
or something to stimulate the rectum, so as to aid 
the escape of gas. In bad cases it is best to intro- 
duce the hand into the rectum and remove the 
hard dung so as to open the passage. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 

This is produced by many different causes, such 
as severe attacks of colic, acid in the stomach and 
bowels, foreign substances, cold and sour grass, 
over exertion, change of food, foul air, genera- 
ting from filthy stables, &c. The attack may be 
apparently sudden, or it may be slow in its ap- 
proach ; or it may commence by scouring ; or 
there may be constipation of the bowels. The 
disease is usually ushered in by repeated shiver- 
ing fits, and then attacks of colic ; and if not 
careful, it will be mistaken for colic, for they will 
go through the same motions that they do 
with colic, but the pain is usually more steady 
than it is with colic. The horse is very much 
tucked up in the flank, breathes short and quick. 
By pressing against the bowels with the hand, he 
will flinch, showing soreness ; the pulse will be 
quick, small and wiry, the color of the nostrils 



46 

will be almost a scarlet red, the tongue scarlet 
red, the edges a purpleish color in the center ; 
but the symptoms are always so obscure and 
mixed, the derangement being so general, that it 
is oft times difficult to determine ; but there is one 
test that will make it perfectly plain. Introduce 
the hand into the rectum and remove the hard 
dung, which will usually be covered with streaks 
of slime. Then again introduce the hand as far 
as possible, and let it rest for a moment, and you 
can readily tell whether it is the heat of inflam- 
mation or the natural warmth of the body. 
Treatment. — Take J oz. of calomel, and mix 
enough of flour with it to make into four pills ; 
give one every two hours, and in two hours after 
giving the last one, give one pint of linseed oil 
and repeat the oil every eight or ten hours, until 
it operates, and in the mean time, give the follow- 
ing : 2 oz. tincture opium, ? oz. tincture of cam- 
phor, i oz. tincture of rhubarb, J pint water. 
Give every half hour until the pain is relieved, 
then, afterwards, whenever the horse is in pain, 
until the physic operates. If the physic ope- 
rates too much, add ^ oz. tincture of capsicum, 
and continue to give every half hour until 
ohecked. This disease is sometimes very rapid in 
its eff'ect, producing death in eight hours, and at 
other times lingering for weeks, and finally assu- 
ming a chronic form. You should be very care- 



47 

£ul about the food. Green grass is best if it can 
be obtained; if not, scalded oats, porridge or gruel, 
but do not give them any bran mash, as it acts in 
this case almost like poison. If the disease as- 
sumes a chronic form, or the horse does not do 
well afterwards, give the cleansing powders for a 
week or two, so as to regulate the whole system. 

ACUTE DYSINTERY. 

This is caused by some accursed substance being 
taken into the stomach, either as medicine or by 
accident, and is usually first discovered by fre- 
quent watery discharges from the bowels, attend- 
ed by some pain and griping, and after a time by 
great thirst. Give the following : 1 oz. tiocture 
of opium, I oz. tincture of camphor, 1 oz. tinc- 
ture of rhubarb, i oz. saleratus, 1 pint of water, 
and give one-half the above dose every half hour 
until the discharge is checked. Let the horse 
drink freely of linseed tea or slippery elm tea, or 
a weak solution of gumarabic. Be very careful 
about the food. Allow them only cooked food, 
and the above teas for a week and gradually bring 
them back to dry food by giving small quantities 
at a time. 

CHRONIC DYSINTERY 

Is most frequent with very old animals that are 
poorly kept. It commences by a looseness of the 



48 

bowels, which should be early attended to. The 
food should be immediately changed, and only 
the most nourishing and sound kind allowed, and 
give the cleansing powders. But if the disease 
continues, give the following: 1| oz. tincture of 
opium, ^ oz. tincture capsicum, J oz. tincture 
camphor, ^ oz. tincture rhubarb every hour or 
two, as the case may require, continuing the 
cleansing process for two or three weeks. 

WORMS. 

Horses are subject to all the different kinds of 
worms that people are, and they frequently pro- 
duce serious difficulty. The symptoms are a slight 
cough, and dullness, a deranged appetite, wasting 
of flesh ; dry harsh feeling to the skin and hair, 
staring coat and especially across the loins each 
hair stands erect as though afraid of its neighbor; 
occasional patches of slime covering the dung, the 
anus being partially covered with a yellowish 
substance or stripes of yellow slime hanging down. 
I think that the best medicine that I have ever 
seen for worms is the cleansing powders, to be giv- 
en for a couple of weeks, adding z oz, calomel. 
This will clear the stomach and intestines of 
worms and regulate the whole system. 

INFLUENZA 

Is supposed by some to be contagious, but I 
think it is more frequently brought on by impure 



49 

air, improper food, &c., than any thing else. It is 
marked by a general derangement of the whole 
system ; stupor or weakness, swelling of the legs 
and joints, swelling of the head and lips ; will per- 
haps be very lame in one limb, the limbs being hot 
and tender ; short breath, copious tears, sore 
throat, tucked up flanks, compressed tail, hot feet 
and in fact, the horse seems to be affected in every 
part ; consequently we want to rouse up the whole 
system by acting on all the organs at once. First, 
wash the whole body over with saleratus water, 
wiping it dry, then give the following : I oz. cal- 
omel, 4 oz. gum camphor, i oz. aloes, I oz pulver- 
ized saltpeter, 2 oz. ginger. Mix all together, 
add enough flour to make it into pills, divide into 
four pills, give one every four hours. Then in 
four hours after giving the last, if it has not opera- 
ted give 1 pint of linseed oil, and wash the legs 
frequently with a half oz. of blue vitriol dissolved 
in two gallons of water, and it is well to steam or 
smoke the horses head every few hours until there 
is a copious discharge from the nostrils being care- 
ful that he does not take cold afterwards. The 
steaming or smoking is done by throwing a blan- 
ket over the horses head and holding a kettle of 
hot water or boiled herbs under the nose ; or to 
smoke, build a fire in a kettle or on a shovel, and 
put tar or old leather on it so as to create a stink- 
ing smoke and hold it under the nose and continue 



50 

this until the breathing is easy. Do not give any- 
active physic, or bleed, blister or rowel for all 
such treatment has too great a tendency to weaken 
the system which is already exhausted. But we 
should rather try to strengthen and only give 
enough medicine to cause each organ to perform 
its proper office until the disease is thrown off. 



CHAPTER IX. 

DISEASE OF URINARY ORGANS. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS, 

Happily is not of so frequent occurance as it 
formerly was, since most horse owners have 
abandoned that very injurious practice of fre- 
quently giving horses niter or rosin, or something 
to keep his water right; there is no more necessity 
for giving a horse medicine to regulate his water 
than there is a man. But inflammation of the 
kidneys may be caused by musty hay or bad oats, 
or bad and foul air. The symptoms are a strad- 
dling gait, humped up back, flinching when there 
is pressure made on the back, frequent turning of 
the head around toward the hind parts, a hard 
and quick pulse, short and quick breathing, and 
scanty urine, and will almost refuse to turn short 
around in the stable. 

The treatment is, first, apply a strong mustard 
poultice across the back, and give the following 
drench : i oz. tincture of opium, 1 oz. spirits 
of nitre, -^ oz. tinct. of camphor, 1 oz. tinct. lobe- 



52 

lia. Mix and add i pint of water, and give every 
two hours -until relieved ; keeping on tlie poultice, 
and be careful to keep it moist. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER 

Is not a very frequent disease, and the symptoms 
are similar to inflammation of the kidneys, only 
instead of the roachedback, the back will be rather 
dropped down more than usual, the water is dis- 
charged in small quantities and frequent. The 
treatment is the same as inflammation of the kid- 
neys, only omit the poultice. 

STOPPAGE OF THE WATER OR SPASM OF THE 
URETHRA. 

This disease has been frequently mistaken for 
colic or inflammation of the kidneys. It is not 
near so frequent a difficulty as is supposed by 
most horse owners. Mares are very seldom trou- 
bled with it. It is easy to detect from the wide 
spread legs, or straddling movement of the horse, 
the pain being constant, the absence of any 
discharge of water, but the frequent eflfort, at- 
tended with pain, shown by a grunting noise ; 
and if there is any doubt about it before giving 
medicine introduce the hand and arm into the 
rectum, and feel below the bumb gut, and you 
can readily feel the bladder, and see if it is so 
full as to cause pain. Now instead of giving the 



53 

usual remedies, such, as nitre, rosin, &c., wkicli 
only increase the quantity of water, and add 
to the difficulty, our object should be to relax the 
system so as to cause tbe spasm to pass off. Take 
2 oz. of tincture of opium, and 2 oz. of tincture 
of lobelia, mix together, add i a pint water and 
give the whole at one dose, and if Lot better in 
twenty minutes or half an hour repeat th.e dose, 
and inject with a syringe, through the penis, 
some of the same preparation, and continue as 
above, even though, you give repeated doses, until 
the water passes freely. 

STONE OR CALCULUS IN THE BLADDER. 

The only way to detect a stone in the bladder, 
to any certainty, is to examine by introducing 
the hand into the rectum and examine the bladder 
and if there is a stone it may readily be felt with 
the hand. But this is of but little benefit to the 
horse owner, as there is no medicine that can 
reach it, and the only cure is by a surgical opera- 
tion, which is very dangerous, even when prac- 
ticed by a skillful Veterinary Surgeon. A horse 
that is troubled with these calculus growths is 
subject to severe troubles in passing the urine, 
which will get worse as time goes on until event- 
ually it will cause death. 



54 
BLOODY URINE 

Is a discharge of blood with the urine, sometimes 
in clots, and at others merely coloring the water. 
When there is a copious discharge of blood there 
will be no pulse at the jaw, the pupils of the eye 
will be dilated, the breathing short and quick, 
the head down, the back roached up, the mem- 
branes of the nose are colorless and cold, the 
flanks tucked up, the legs widely straddled ; to 
raise the head and hold it up for a minute would 
cause the horse to stagger. 

The treatment consists in disturbing the horse 
as little as possible. Give the following : two 
drams of sugar of lead, dissolve in half a pint of 
water ; if not better in twenty minutes repeat the 
above, adding 1 oz. tincture of opium ; if this 
does not do, dash two or three buckets of cold wa- 
ter on his back, standing up over him so as to 
let it fall some distance, and inject some of the 
cold water into the rectum, as the cold may stop 
it ; or, as a last resort try this ; ergot of rye 4 
drams, pour half a pint boiling hot water on to it, 
and when cold add one oz. tincture of opium, and 
give at one dose, and continue the pouring of the 
water on the loins ; and if this fails wait six or 
eight hours and repeat as before. 



55 

DIABETIS, OR TOO FREE A DISCHARGE OF 

URINE. 

This is caused by medicines that have been 
given, or improper food. Give one dram iodide 
of potasium, dissolved in half a pint of water, 
twice a day until relieved. 



CHAPTER X. 

DISEASES OF THE SKIN. 

MANGE. 

This is horse itch, and corresponds to the itch of 
the human subjects, and originates from, the same 
cause, and usually first appears on the shin under 
the mane. By examination you will find a quan- 
tity of dry scurf, and the horse will scratch or 
rub against any object that may be within reach. 
This loose scurf will spread over the neck and 
shoulders, and if allowed to run on will extend 
over the whole body, but scarcely ever effect the 
legs. Rub the part afiected with sulphur oint- 
ment every day, and give the cleansing powders 
for a week or two. 

RING WORM 

Is a small round spot where the hair falls off, 
leaves a bare spot, and increases in size. Take 1 
oz. oil of tar and mix with 1 oz. of lard, and 
grease the part every day, washing it with soap 
and water before applying the ointment. 

SURFEIT 

Is small blotches or spots, resembling heat blotches 



57 

that raise on the skin of the human subject in hot 
weather, " They raise up in round, blunt lumps. 
Give the cleansing powders until some time after 
the disease entirely disappears, so as to get it all 
out of the system. 

HIDE-BOUND 

Is not a disease of itself, but the result of expo- 
sure, bad or insufficient quantity of food, or the 
result of some other disease. The food should be 
of the best quality and plenty of it. Give a 
handful of salt every day in the food, and give 
the cleansing powders until the constitution is 
improved. 

LICE. 

Horses oftentimes get lice by allowing chickens 
to be in the stable, or by having to roost too near 
the stable; but most generally they are generated 
by a diseased condition of the animal. To re- 
move the lice merely grease the whole body over 
with any kind of cheap grease, and then attend 
to whatever disease there may be. If there does 
not seem to be any particular disease, then it is 
a derangement of the whole system, and I give 
the cleansing powders in such cases for two or 
three weeks, so as to improve the general condi- 
tion. 

LAKVvE, OR GRUBS IN THE SKIN. 

These are caused by the deposit of an egg from 
the fly on the horse's back, and the warmth of the 



58 

horse hatches the egg into a sort of maggot which 
burroughs into the skin and remains until the next 
ppring, causing a small lump to rise which is quite 
painful to the horse, and very annoying to the 
owner. The best and surest way to get them out 
is to open a small hole through the skin and 
squeeze them out, and then apply any healing 
application to the wound that may be at hand. 

WARTS. 

Warts are of two kinds, one being lumps form- 
ing under the skin and having a smooth surface^ 
and seeming loose when felt of with the hands. 
These should be opened with a knife, when you 
will find a sack formed there. The contents 
should be removed and then treat it as any other 
fresh wound. The other kind forms on the out- 
side of the skin, usually having a small base and 
rough surface, and generally increases in size, and 
are oft times bloody, and it is supposed by some 
that the first wart breeds others; others claiming 
that the appearance of numerous warts on the 
skin only shows a tendency of the system to pro- 
mote such growths. Certain it is that where there 
is one wart others are very apt to appear, conse- 
quently there should be no time lost in destroying 
them. I think the best way is to cut them off 
with a knife and then to sear or burn the part, 
with a hot iron, to stop the bleeding; or, instead 



59 

of burning, you might apply a solution of lunar 
caustic, say ten grains to half an ounce of water, 
or any other plan to stop the bleeding. Some 
take them off by tying a small cord around them 
and allowing them to slough off, and others re- 
move them by applying lunar caustic every day^ 
say ten grains to half an ounce of water, merely 
wetting the wart with the solution. This will 
take some time, but will accomplish it in the end; 
or almost any kind of caustic medicine, if applied 
long enough, will remove warts. 

TUMORS 

Are of so many different kinds and forms, and 
come in so many different locations, that it is im- 
possible to give a complete description of all. 
Some of them may be safely removed with the- 
knife, while others should be let alone, as there 
would be great danger in removing them. The 
better way is when a horse has any enlargements 
or unnatural growths, before being operated upon, 
some experienced person should be consulted as 
to the safety of making the operation. There is 
a peculiar kind of enlargement which comes upon 
grey horses, called mellaniosis, which will be 
spoken of in its proper place, and which the young 
practitioner had better notice before operating on 
a grey horse for any kind ol tumors. The only 
way to remove tumors is by cutting out. {See 
Operations) 



60 

SWELLED OR STOCKED LEGS. 

This is a very frequent complaint, especially in 
the fall of the year when horses are taken from 
grass, and is caused by a want of circulation in 
the limb. Usually a good rubbing with the hands 
and exercise every day will relieve the difficulty, 
but should it remain and continue to get worse, 
while the horse is apparently enjoying good health, 
then we must resort to an operation to get 
up a renewed action in the limb. Make a hole 
through the skin, the size of a pen knife blade, on 
the outside of the leg, about four or five inches 
back of the stifle joint; then insert, under the skin, 
in a downward direction, a quill or tube and ap- 
ply the mouth to the tube and blow wind under 
the skin, and push it down the leg by applying 
the hands on the outside and rubbing down until 
you have got enough wind introduced to cover 
the whole limb from the stifle joint to the hoof, 
leaving the wind there. It will escape through 
the pores of the skin in a few days. Then apply 
the following : 2 oz. turpentine, 1 dram of car- 
bonate of amonia, l- dram venitian red; mix to- 
gether and apply with a small brush, all over 
the leg, enough to merely moisten the hair, being 
careful not to get too much in one place, as it 
might blister. One application is enough. Then 
give the horse exercise, say to go five or six miles 
every day for two weeks. The limb will be some 



61 

swollen and considerably stiff and sore for a few 
days after the operation, but pay no attention to 
that but attend to the exercise and it will come 
all right. But you should bear in mind that if a 
horse that is troubled with legs that will stock 
when standing without exercise, is out of condi- 
tion in any other way, or other diseases are troub- 
ling him, he must have those troubles attended to 
before making the above operation. 

SITE A ST. 

Sitfast is a sore usually located on the back of 
the horse, and is generally caused by a bad sad- 
dle. It is a sore with a black spot in the centre, 
the spot being composed of a hard substance re- 
sembling a piece of horn, which holds very tight 
to the flesh. Cut out the hard or black spot and 
then treat as any other sore. There is a very 
good application, which you will find in the back 
part of this book, called Healing Wash for Old 
Sores. 

GREASE HEEL 

Usually shows itself in the form of scratches,, 
and is caused by filthy stables, running out on 
cold and wet grounJ, or by cutting the hair from 
the leg and exposing it to the cold and wet. But 
it does not always commence as scratches. It 
may be occasioned by the leg getting poisoned 



62 

with poisoned weeds, or being injured with a 
rope getting round the leg below the fetlock, and 
in fact, most any injury to the leg below the fet- 
lock is liable to result in grease heel. When it is 
grease heel, the leg will be very hot and tender. 
There will ooze out of the leg a fluid that has a 
very miserable, bad smell, and if this is allowed 
to continue, after a while there will little bunches 
raise up below the fetlock, resembling a bunch of 
grapes. This becomes a blood disease. That is, 
the whole system becomes affected. Wash the 
leg every day with castile soap and soft water 
and rub it dry. The horse should have one 
hour's walking exercise every day. Give the 
cleansing powders twice a day for two weeks if 
the leg still continues sore. Use the healing 
wash for old sores on the leg twice per day until 
healed and all the inflammation is gone, being care- 
ful to wash as before every day, and to continue 
the cleansing powders for a couple of weeks after 
the disease has entirely disappeared, so as to be 
sure not to have it return again. 

MALANDERS AND SALLENDEKS 

Are small patches of rough scurvy skin located on 
the leg. Malanders appear on the back of the 
knee. Sallenders appear on the front part of the 
hock joint, and if allowed to remain, are liable to 
become bad sores. Wash the part with castile 



63 

soap and rub every day, and apply the healing 
wash for old sores twice a day. 

SCRATCHES OR CRACKED HEELS, 

This is caused by neglecting to keep the legs 
clean, or by exposure in cold or wet weather, or 
by running on low, wet ground ; and if not cured, 
are very liable to terminate in grease heel. Wash 
the leg every day with castile soap and water, 
and rub until it is dry, and if the horse is allowed 
to go out, it should be washed every time he 
comes in, so as to be sure to keep it clean. Then 
every time after washing, apply the following : 
Take a table spoonful of fine gun powder and 
mix enough lard with it to make a salve, and rub 
it in with the hand. 



CHAPTER XI. 

SPECIFIC DISEASES. 

HEAVES OR WIND-BROKEN. 

Most authors on horse diseases call heaves 
wind-broken, but as it is understood in this coun- 
try, they are two separate diseases. Heaves are 
brought on by anything that will create irritation 
of the lungs ; being much in the dust, taking cold, 
musty hay, eating large quantities of food and 
being fast driven immediately afterward, are 
among the causes that produce irritation of the 
lungs, which causes the mucus membrane that 
lines the air cells of the lungs to become thick- 
ened, which partly closes the air cells, and causes 
the labored effort in breathing, and is known by 
hard breathing, that is much worse by being exer- 
cised, and a peculiar jerking motion of the flank. 
This disease there is no cure for, because we cannot 
reach the lungs directly with any medicine that 
would reduce the thickening of the membrane. 
All that we can do is to relieve as much as possi- 
ble. A horse with heaves should be allowed but 
a small quantity of hay at a time, and be kept 



65 

entirely away from any dust, and give a teaspoon- 
ful of tartar emetic once per day as often as is 
necessary to give relief. Give it in the feed. 

WIND-BROKEN 

Is the ruptured air cells of the lungs, caused 
by violent exercising. When the horse is 
standing he does not show any difficulty of 
breathing, but on moving, he breathes hard, 
with a peculiar roaring sound, and on stopping, 
the breathing becomes regular almost instantly. 
For this distressing difficulty there is no remedy, 
although there are some unprincipled horse dealers 
that fix such a horse so that for the time being 
he show^s no difficulty, so as to defraud some un- 
suspecting person. This is done by making a 
hole into the body with a small knife, immediate- 
ly above the anus and below the tail. So long 
as this hole remains open, the breathing is regu- 
lar, but as soon as it closes, the difficulty appears 
again. 

MELLANOSIS 

Is a disease tha-t is scarcely ever found on 
any but gray horses. It usually commences 
on the tail, though it is many times found 
on other parts of the body. It is a small black 
lump with a smooth surface, and should it be 
cut into there would be found a black, inky sub- 
stance. The lumps remain for years without any 



66 

apparent injury, then, all of a sudden, increase to 
an enormous size. There are sometimes a num- 
ber of them. I have seen cases where the whole 
tail was covered with these unsightly black 
lumps, besides ihose appearing on other parts of 
the body. On dissecting a subject of this kind, 
it is astonishing what a number of these same 
lumps we find, affecting the internal organs, and 
in fact, the whole system will seem to be affected 
by them. When the lumps appear on the skin 
do not attempt to do anything for them, as by 
doing so, you would undoubtedly provoke the 
growth and make it much worse than before. The 
only way is to let them alone, and if they get to 
such a size as to destroy the usefulness of the an- 
imal, put him out of his misery. 

WATER FARCY 

Is caused by anything that has a tendency to 
reduce the system; over work, insufficiency of food, 
bad food, filthy stables, foul air, want of exercise, 
are all causes of farcy. This disease in this coun- 
try usually shows itself by a swelling under the 
belly around the sheath, along on the belly, and 
may continue into the breast, or it may attack one 
of the limbs ; it scarce ever attacks two limbs at the 
same time. "When it comes on the belly it usual- 
ly is slow in its progress, and is not very painful 
to the horse ; by pressing the fingers against the 



67 

swelled part it will leave a dent that will remain 
for several minutes ; when it attacks one of the 
legs it is usually sudden, you might leave the horse 
apparently well, and in one hour return and find 
the animal holding up one limb, and one of the 
joints swollen badly, and the horse suffering great 
pain; the limb seems very tender to the touch. In 
a case of this kind I commence by putting rowels 
in the breast, and if the case is a bad one into the 
swollen parts also ; I then wash the swollen part 
every day with castile soap and soft water, and 
hand rub it until it is dry; I then give the follow- 
ing : 4 oz. pulverized blood root, 4 oz. pulverized 
gentian, 4 oz. pulverized golden seal, 2 oz. crude 
antimony, 2 oz. pulverized nitre and f oz. of calo- 
mel. Mix altogether and give a large tablespoon- 
full twice per day in the food, and if the horse 
will not eat it mix it into pills by adding a little 
flour and molasses, and put it down them ; keep 
the bowels loose by giving bran mashes, or if nec- 
essary some mild physic, just enough to loosen the 
bowels. Water Farcy is a species of dropsy, so 
do not bleed or give any powerful physic, as he 
needs strengthening instead of weakening, 

PURPURtE hemorshagica, 

Or commonly called swelled head. The cause 
of this disorder is not well understood, for it is 
not many years since it first made its appearance, 



68 

but it has now become quite common, and it usual- 
ly is sudden in its attack and may caase deatb in 
a few hours, or it may linger on for several days, 
and many times get well, but as a general thing 
the treatment is not very satisfactory. The 
horse might be left at night apparently well, and 
on opening the stable in the morning be found 
with the head, nostrils and lips swelled enormous- 
ly, besides being swollen in other parts of the body, 
and the swelling will increase until there will ooze 
out of the skin a fluid often times mixed with 
blood, and there will be great difficulty of breath- 
ing, and the tongue will often times swell so that 
it will protrude from the mouth. If the tongue 
swells so as to protrude there is great danger of 
its being bitten off, so there should be no time 
lost in returning it to the mouth. First make 
two or three small cuts in it, say three eighths of 
and inch deep, so as to let it bleed a little, then 
rub and work it with the hand until the swelling 
is enough reduced to return it to the mouth, then 
give the following : 1 pint of linseed oil, 1 oz. 
tinct. of camphor, 1 oz. of spirits of nitre, 1 oz. 
sulphuric ether, and 1 oz. tinct. of lobelia. Mix 
all together and give in a drench, and if not 
breathing better in half an hour, repeat the dose, 
and if not better in one hour give 1 oz. of sul- 
phuric ether, 1 oz. tinct. of camphor, i oz. tinct. 
of lobelia, and 1 oz. spirits of nitre, in 1 pint of 



69 

water, and repeat every hour until easier. Wash 
the whole body and limbs over in saleratus water, 
and rub dry every day, and give the swelled parts 
a plenty of hand rubbing. 

DISTEMPER OR STRANGLES. 

This is a common complaint among young hor- 
ses and sometimes attacks old ones, and is sup- 
posed to be contagious. They usually have the 
disease but once. It is a swelling of the glands, 
under the jaw, and attended with some fever and 
soreness of the throat, and is supposed to produce 
the same effect on a horse the measles does on the 
human species, and so wants treating on the same 
principle with measles. The object is to keep it 
on the outer surface ; and so with distemper. The 
object is to get it to discharging out of the system 
as soon as possible. Many horse owners are in 
the habit of bleeding and physicing; I think this 
has a tendency to drive it back into the system 
and to cause other diseases. When a horse swells 
in the glands under the jaw with distemper, put 
a poultice on it of common brov/'n sugar and bar 
soap, equal parts, being careful to keep it moist, 
and so that it will fit so tight that the air cannot 
get under it, and keep it on until there is a soft 
place on the swelled parts that shows that matter 
has accumulated there, and the sooner you get it 
to discharging out of the system the better. So 



70 

open it with a knife, inserting tlie knife about f of 
an inch; be careful to make the hole large enough 
so that there may be a free discharge. It is nee- 
esary to keep a good warm bandage on after tak- 
ing off the poultice to prevent taking cold ; some- 
times by bad management, taking cold or other 
causes, the matter may not all be discharged, and 
is carried back into the system, and they break 
out in ulcers, or the legs swell. If there are ulcers 
treat them with the poultice, and open as soon as 
soft ; if the legs swell wash the whole body with 
salaratus water, and rub dry with cloths or a 
brush ; put rowels into the breast and give the 
cleansing powders twice per day, so as to get it out 
of the system ; the cleansing powders should be 
given for a week or ten days after the swelling 
has disappeared. 

GLANDERS. 

This is a loathsome disease, and one that is 
highly contagious. It will in some cases produce 
death in one week, while in others it assumes a 
more chronic form and will linger on for years. 
It is a disease affecting the whole glandular sys- 
tem, not as some suppose, confined to the glands 
of the head and throat, but the whole system is 
affected, and particularly the lungs. In chronic 
cases the lungs are effected almost like consump- 
tion of the human subject. The first that is us- 



71 

lialjy noticed is a discharge from the nostrils of a 
thin fluid that may only discharge at times. In 
this stage there is no certain test for it, but in a 
short time the discharge "will assume a more yel- 
low cast and will stick to the edges of the nos- 
trils ; by looking into the nostril there will be 
ulcerated places found, perhaps high up, so that 
it will require care in making the examination. 
By taking a little of the matter that discharges 
from the nostril and feeling of it between the fin- 
ger and thumb, it will have a sticky feeling. 
There is no cure for this terrible disease, and the 
best way is when a horse is suspected of having 
the glanders put them by themseles where there 
is no danger of others taking it, until it is con- 
firmed, and as soon as certain, destroy the horse, 
and cleanse the premises in every part where the 
horse has been. It is necessary for persons that 
go about glandered horses to be careful and not 
get any of the matter onto the skin where there 
is any fracture, or into the nose or mouth, or any 
of the light membranes, as by doing so they 
would take the glanders, which would certainly 
result in death. 

BUTTON FARCY 

Is of two kinds, the big and the little. The large 
usually makes its appearance on the inside of the 
hind legs up towards the body, while the small 



72 

may come in any part. It is caused by being 
kept in filthy places, neglect in grooming, want 
of exercise, bad food, or it may be taken by in- 
noculation. It seems to be of the same nature as 
glanders. A horse may be innoculated with 
gleandery matter and have the farcy, or they may 
be innoculated with farcy matter and have the 
glanders. When they are attacked with farcy 
they have the glanders before death, and when 
they are attacked with glanders they show symp- 
toms of farcy before death. Farcy is a lump ris- 
ing up under the skin, and there are many time^ 
numbers of them, and sometimes only one that 
ulcerates and discharges a yellowish fluid, and 
becomes a running sore. I have cured many 
cases of farcy, and some very bad ones, by giving 
them the cleansing powders alone. To give them 
twice a day for some time after there is no ap- 
pearance of the disease, but it is well to grease 
the sores with sulphur ointment, and also put 
rowels into the breast. 

YELLOW WATER. 

Yellow Water is what in human subjects is 
called jaundice. Many men have the notion that 
whenever the hairs in the mane and tail become 
loose so that they may be easily pulled out, and 
especially when the ends look yellow, that it is a 
sure symptom of yellow water. At any time 



73 

when the horse becomes ver/ debilitated or run 
down the hairs in the tail and mane are apt to be- 
come loose, so that it cannot be taken as a symp- 
tom of yellow water ; it is only a symptom of de- 
bility. This disease is readily detected by the 
white of the eye assuming a yellowish color, and 
the edges of the eyelid, the nostrils and the roof 
of the mouth will all assume the same color. It 
is very common for horse owners to excuse their 
own negligence and penuriousness by claiming 
that the horse has got the yellow water. They 
neglect to give the horse proper grooming, and 
keep in a filthy and unhealthy stable, and either 
a miserable quality or scant supply of food, and 
many times over -worked; and then, when the 
horse fails in flesh, becomes stupid and dull, and 
has become too weak under his accumulated bad 
treatment to do his daily task, then they excuse 
their own faults by saying the horse has got the 
yellow water, or has become hide bound, when a 
little more attention and good food would remedy 
the whole difficulty. Yellow water is a bilious 
difficulty, and consequently is more frequent in 
warm than in cold weather. It is a diseased liv- 
er, and the way to treat it is to give the cleansing 
powders,^adding i oz. of calomel. 



CHAPITER XII. 

DISEASE OF THE LIMBS. 

BONE SPAVIN 

Is the result of some injury to the joint. Some 
suppose it to be hereditary, but this is doubtful, 
any farther than like begets like. So a horse or 
a mare that has naturally weak joints, the oif- 
spring would likely be the same, and of course, 
according to the strength of the joint is the lia- 
bility to complaints of this kind, and I might 
here say that it is poor policy to breed from stock 
of this kind, as it only brings into the world an 
animal that is of but little use or benefit to the 
owner. Spavin is first an injury to the joint, that 
produces inflammation of the sinovial membrane 
that surrounds the joint, and the cartilege that 
covers the ends of the bones becomes diseased, 
the sinovial fluid which lubricates the joint is 
dried up or absorbed, there is a bony deposit 
formed there that is of a porous nature ; it is at- 
tached to the bone and there is no removing it 
with medicine, and even could it be removed, I 
think it would be bad practice, for it seems that 



75 • 

nature has deposited this bony matter there to 
strengthen the already weakened joint. The way 
to manage diseases of this kind is to take them 
on the start and remove the disease before there 
is any enlargement. Spavins are of the bony char- 
acter ; are usually located on the inner and lower 
edge of the hock or spavin joint, or what some 
horse owners call the knee of the hind leg. They 
are sometimes found higher up near to what is 
usually called the gambrel joint, and in fact any 
bony enlargement there is about this joint is called 
spavins, as they are all caused in the same way, 
but the difference in location oft-times make a 
difference in the lameness. To examine for spav- 
in always go in front of the horse and stoop down 
so as to look through between the forward legs 
at the hind legs, having the horse stand the hind 
legs as near alike as possible, then you can com- 
pare the two together, and in this position you 
can detect a spavin when it is not preceivable in 
any other; if you do not see any enlargement then 
place your hand on the joint, let it rest a moment 
and see if you cannot detect a little heat more 
than there should be ; if not yet satisfied, have 
the horse led along on the level ground and no- 
tice his step ; compare the step of the hind foot 
with the track of the forward foot, and if you 
find that with the lame leg he does not step as 
far ahead as he does with the well one, then 



76 

mark it down as a certainty that the lameness is 
in the spavin joint, and spavin will undoubtedly 
be the result if not cured. Horses may be lame 
for months and even years in the primary stage 
of spavin before there is any enlargement, while 
with others there will be an enlargement within 
a few weeks after lameness shows. There are many 
cases of spavin, where there are so many different 
organs surrounding and composing the joint that 
are effected that there is but little can be done 
for them. There are also many of them that have 
been of long standing and been doctored with all 
kinds of quack medicines, until the parts seem to 
have lost their vitality, and medicine produces no 
effect. There has undoubtedly been more cruel- 
ty, quackery and ignorance displayed on this 
disease than any other disease that horse is heir 
to. Whenever you meet with a pretender that 
claims to take off spavins or ringbones, and there- 
by make the animal more valuable, set him down 
as either being ignorant or a swindler, and have 
nothing to do with him. Do not allow a faithful 
servant to be tormented by such pretenders. I 
have tried many different remedies and have seen 
the result of many others, and I am satisfied that 
the prescription which you will find in the back 
part of this book is the best ever known. 



77 

SPLINT 

Is a small bony enlargement usually located on 
the inside of the forward leg, below the knee and 
above the ankle joint. They scarcely ever cause 
lameness only when first coming. They usually 
disappear before the horse is nine years old. 
Sometimes they are located so near the knee joint 
that they interfere with the joint and cause lame- 
ness. Sometimes we find them located on the out- 
side of the hind leg, below the hock, but they 
scarcely ever cause trouble. Splints can usually 
be removed in a few days by applying the spavin 
and 'ringbone medicine. (See back part of this 
book.) 

RINGBONE 

Is of the same nature as spavin, (see article on 
spavin,) and is produced by the same cause. It 
may be low down near to the foot or it may be 
most up to the ankle, all on one side, or all in 
front, or on both sides, on the forward or hind 
limb,and in fact, any hard, bohy enlargement, form- 
ing from any cause, or in any shape, between the 
ankle and foot, is ringbone, and it should be 
t:peated the same as spavin. 

CURB 

Is an enlargement on the back side of the hock 
or spavin joint. There seems to be some dispute 



78 

about the cause and cliaracter of curb, but is evi- 
dently the result of some injury to that part of 
the leg, either a strain or a bruise. In its first 
stage, when it is hot and tender, there should be 
a bandage put around the leg and kept wet with 
cold water until every appearance of inflamma- 
tion has departed, then apply the spavin and ring- 
bone medicine. (See back part of this book.) 

BOG SPAVIN, THOROUGHFIN AND WINDGALI.. 

Bog spavin is a soft enlargement on the front 
and inner side of the hock joint, and is caused by 
some injury that produces slight inflammation, 
and that increases the supply of the senovial 
fluid or joint oil, which lodges in a sack. Some- 
times by pressing on the enlarged part with the 
hand, it would show through on the back side of 
the limb, or by pressing on the side, it will show 
through on the other side. It is then called thor- 
oughpin. 

Windgalls are soft enlargements in the vicinity of 
the ankle. Bog spavin, thoroughpin and windgalls 
are the same disease, and originate from the same 
cause, only being in different locations. They scarce- 
ly ever produce lameness, but are liable to undergo 
changes, and to be converted into bone, and to 
cause serious difficulties, though this is not com- 
mon. The treatment is, in the first place, while 
the enlargement is quite soft, put a compressed 



79 

bandage on. This is done by using a sponge 
that is of the proper size, or by using three or four 
thicknesses of cloth, and put a piece of cork over 
it and bind it on to the enlargement, so that it 
will make a tight and constant pressure on the 
enlargement ; then steep some white oak bark in 
water until it is quite strong, then keep the ban- 
dage w^et with this, and keep it on for ten days 
or two weeks. If this does not effect a cure, or 
the enlarged part appears to be somewhat hard, 
and feels more like gristle than it did in the start, 
then use the spavin and ringbone medicine. (See 
back part of book.) 

STRINGHALT. 

This is a sudden jerking up of the hind leg, 
sometimes one and sometimes both being affected. 
With some cases it only shows itself when the 
horse first starts ; with others, only when they 
are excited or going down hill, or standing over 
in the stable. With most cases it is worse in cold 
than warm weather, and is more frequent in high 
spirited horses. There seems to be a variety of 
opinions among our most scientific authors about 
the cause and location of stringhalt ; some claim- 
ing that it is an affection of the muscles of the leg, 
others claiming that it is an affection of the spinal 
nerve, besides many other theories, all of which the 
author thinks are of but little account ; but among 



80 

all tte different theories there are none of them that 
have found a cure. The author will not advance 
any theory as to the cause and location of the 
disease, but proceed to give the plan by which he 
has cured many cases, although he has tried it in 
cases where it produced no effect. First, fasten 
up the forward leg on the side of the borse you 
wish to operate on, and place a twitch on tbenose, 
and let the attendant hold it while the operator 
makes a hole through the skin with a com- 
mon knife, about three inches, directly back of 
the stifle joint, on the outside of the limb. Make 
the hole a little larger than a penknife blade, 
then introduce a tube or goose quill, something 
that you can blow through. Shove it down un- 
der the skin a convenient distance, then place the 
mouth on the tube and blow wind into it, and 
with the hands force it down the limb until it 
covers the whole limb clear down to the hoof; 
then take the following mixture : i oz. carbonet of 
ammonia, 1 tea spoonful of Venetian red, ^ pint 
turpentine, and with a brush merely moisten the 
hair all over, then with both hands, rub the leg 
up and down, using all your strength for about' 
a minute to each leg, then give the horse exercise, 
say to go about six miles every day for two 
weeks. This has resulted in the cure of string 
halt in many cases under my direction, and I 
think will cure most if not all. 



81 

SHOULDER JAM AND SWEENY, 

What is usually understood by shoulder jam, 
stoved shoulders, sweeny, and old chronic cases of 
founder and chest founder, are all the same thing, 
the same disease in perhaps a little different form. 
Neither one of the above terms conveys any idea 
what the trouble is, and still men are tenatious 
abont the name, and there is often times great dis- 
putes whether a horse is shoulder jammed or swee- 
nied, when there is no difference in the disease. 
If I was to give the difficulty a name I should 
call it chronic rhumatism, as it resembles that dis- 
ease more than any other, but as there is but little 
difference I shall not stop to argue about the name, 
but to describe what the disease is and the cure, 
for I believe that most of the cases of horses 
that are stiff in the forward part may be cured. 
This difficulty consists in a stiffness or soreness of 
the forward part, sometimes only one limb or 
shoulder is affected, but more frequently both are 
affected, and shrinking or perishing of the mus- 
cles, perhaps the shoulder perish, or perhaps the 
shoulders, chest and arm of the leg, all shrink 
some. It is caused by some injury to the muscles, 
perhaps a founder, collar too large or too small, 
hard driving, a slip or strain, driving fast on hard 
-roads, driving fast down hill, jumping fences, and 
in fact anything that injures the muscles of the 

leg or shoulder enough to create an inflammation, 

6 



82 

will cause this difficulty. The inflammation is 
usually of a chronic form, tKat is, it is not very 
severe, but there is inflammation there which you 
may readily convince yourself of by feeling of the 
skin on the shoulder of a stiffened horse, and a 
sound horse. With one you will notice a dry 
harsh feeling, and the other a soft and moist feel- 
ing, which shows that there is an inflammation 
that produces adhesion of the celuler tissue that 
is between the muscles and facia, or striffin that 
lays between the skin and muscle, then the mus- 
cles are as it were tied up, that is, the horse has 
not a free use of them, he can make a short step 
but he cannot reach out so as to travel off free. 
Well, now the cure would be to break this adhes- 
ion loose and then stimulate, and have the mus- 
cles used at the same time, and they will become 
restored. I know the plan which I shall recom- 
mend here has been tried in some parts of the 
country with poor success ; but I believe where it 
has failed it was either when it was not properly 
applied, or else there was some other difficulty 
connected with it, for I certainly have cured hun- 
dreds of cases by this means. First examine the 
feet and see if they are contracted ; {8ee article 
on contracted feet ;) then see if there is no lame- 
ness of the coffin joint, (See coffin joint,) then ex- 
amine the other joints, and if there are no enlarge- 
ments then there is a fair prospect of a cure. Put 



83 

a twitch on the nose and with a knife make a hole 
through the skin and striffin or facia that is im- 
mediately under the skin; make the incsssion on 
the lower part of the shoulder near down to the 
arm of the leg, and about midway of the shoulder, 
and introduce a pipe or tube, being careful to get 
it through the facia, then apply the mouth and 
blow wind into the tube and under the skin, and 
with the hands push up and down until you have 
introduced enough to cover the whole surface from 
the hoof to the top of the wethers, and with the 
hands push it clear down and up, and some of it 
around onto the chest so that it will cover it all 
over about alike, then with a common shaving 
brush apply the following : 1 dram of carbonate 
of amonia finely pulverized, one teaspoonful of 
vinetian red, and 3 oz. turpentine ; shake well and 
apply just enough to moisten the hair, being care- 
ful not to get too much in one place or it will blis- 
ter, for a few days after the horse will be very 
sore and stiff, but pay no attention to that, but 
make sure he travels at least five or six miles every 
day for the next two weeks; let the wind remain, 
it will work out through the pores of the skin in 
time. When you push the wind over be careful 
that it covers every part, and bear on to it with 
your hands with considerable force to be sure that 
it penetrates to every part, so as to break down 
all the adhesion. One operation and application 



84 

of tlie medicine is all that is necessary in most 
cases, but in case tlie horse does not get entirely 
well, make another operation in a month or six 
weeks. In cases of this kind if the feet are con- 
tracted doctor them at the same time. 

CAPPED KNEE. 

This is located in the forward leg, a soft enlarge- 
ment and scarce ever produces lameness, it corres- 
ponds to the bog spavin on the hind leg, and is 
produced by the same cause, and is liable to the 
same changes, but it should in no wise be neglec- 
ted as there is great danger of its causing open 
joint by weakening the sinovial membrane that 
surrounds the joint, causing it to become per- 
manently stiffened or grown together. This should 
be treated the same as bog spavin, and in all these 
cases it is best to let the horse have rest while he 
is undergoing treatment. 

CAPPED HOCK. 

This is a thickening of the skin, and an enlarge- 
ment under the skin on the point of the hock 
joint, on the back side, and is caused by a bruise. 
When this first appears it can usually be taken 
away by constant rubbing with the hand for a 
few days. Employ a man and let him do noth- 
ing but rub the enlargement with the hand; but 
if it has been on for a length of time and has be- 



35 

come considerably hard, the only way is to cast 
the horse and lay the skin open, and with a knife 
take the enlargement out, and close the skin with 
a stitch or two. Do not cut out any of the loose 
skin but let it remain as it will eventually all 
shrink down and heal without a scar, but if you 
remove any of the skin it will leave a scar. This 
is a very safe operation, as there is no large blood 
vessels, and but little to contend with. The only 
difficulty there is about it is that it heals slow. 
The best healing wash to use after any surgical 
operation is chloride of zinc dissolved in water, 
say one grain to the oz. of water. 

CAPPED ELBOW. 

This is an enlargement on the joint, on the for- 
ward leg up next to the body, and is called the 
elbow joint. It is caused by a bruise, frequently 
done by resting that part on the shoe of the hind 
foot while lying down. I have often seen these 
enlargements opened, roweled and blistered, but 
never saw any benefit from it. The only way to 
get rid of them is to cut them out as directed for 
capped hock. 

THE STIFLE. 

It has usually been supposed by horse men that 
the stifle joint is very liable to get out of place, 
what is called being stifled; and I have seen 



86 

miTcli cruelty practiced on horses by causing them 
to stand on the lame leg by placing what they 
call a stifle shoe on the well leg. This is a very 
cruel and barbarous pratice, and should never be 
allowed, for such a thing as getting the stifle out 
is impossible, which any person can convince 
themselves of by merely dissecting the stifle joint 
of a horse or a beef. The stifle may sometimes 
get bruised or strained which may readily be 
known by the swelling and inflammation that will 
follow, and should be treated the same as p^ny 
other strain, by making some cooling application. 
(See article on strains.) The stifle joint is made 
almost exactly like the knee joint of a man with 
the knee cap in front called the patella. This 
patella may sometimes get out of place, but it is 
not frequent. Some of our oldest practitioners 
that have practiced a life time, have never met 
with a case. It may readily be known by the 
limb being extended backwards, and impossible 
for the horse to bring it forward or to bear the 
least heft on the limb ; the patella always slips 
on to the outside, so that it may readily be seen 
by there being a large lump on the outside of the 
joint. When this does occur, put a rope around 
the ankle of the limb and let two men take hold 
of it and stand in front of the horse and pull 
steadily while the operator stands by the side of 
the animal and pushes it into its place, and holds 



it there for a short time with th^ hands ; then 
wash it frequently with oak bark wash make by 
boiling the bark in water and throwing a handful 
of salt into it ; then let the horse rest for a few 
months ; and if it is the first time, it may never 
trouble him again, but if the patelia luxated the 
second time, then it is liable to get out at any 
time, and the horse becomes worthless. 

BLOOD SPAVIN. 

This is a disease that is scare ever known now 
days. I have not seen a case in over ten years. 
It is an enlargement of the large vein that passes 
down the front side of the hook joint. A horse 
with blood spavin will actually suffer more pain 
than they do with bone spavin, and will be very 
lame. The only cure is to dissect the enlarged 
part, and tie a ligature above and below, and 
take the enlargement out entire. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS OF THE FEET. 

CRACKED HOOF. 

This may be on the front of the foot, called toe 
-crack, or on the side, called quarter crack. It 
may extend from bottom to top, or it may only 
reach part way ; in either case take a knife and 
cut the edges of the crack so as to form a groove, 
and let the inner edges come together; then put a 
stout shoe on the foot, and be careful that it is 
always kept tight so as not to allow the foot to 
spring ; then either cut or burn across the top of 
the crack so as to start it to growing together. 
Then apply the following : linseed oil i pint, 
turpentine 4 oz., oil of tar 6 oz., oil of arganum 
3 oz., mix all together, and shake well every time 
before using, and apply every night after the 
horse is done work for the day, around the top of 
the hoof, about one inch down, enough to wet it 
thoroughly. This is to soften the foot and keep 
it growing. Continue this until the crack has 
grown out. 



89 
FALSE QUARTERS. 

False quarter is the absence of a portion of the 
outer or hard covering of the hoof, located on the 
side or quarter, and only leaves the soft, spongy 
under surface to protect the hoof. This oft times 
will crack, when it does it should be treated as 
directed for cracked hoof. When there is found 
any granulated flesh gets into it apply the follow- 
ing : li oz. blood root, I oz. gum camphor, 3 oz. 
tincture of arnica, put all into 1 pint bottle, and 
fill it up with alcohol, and shake well ; apply this 
three or four times a day until the proud flesh has 
disappeared and it has healed over, but it will be 
impossible to cause a new outer covering to grow. 
All that we expect to do is to make it as comfort- 
able as possible. 

SEEDY TOE. 

This consists in a portion of the outer or hard 
covering of the hoof becoming loose, or there be- 
ing a division between the soft and hard part of 
the hoof. The outer and loose part should be all 
cut away, and then apply the wash as for cracked 
hoof, and if possible let the horse rest for a time, 
until the foot becomes sound, and keep a stout shoe 
on the foot. 

CALKED TREAD, OR OVER-REACHING. 

This is caused by the horse stepping on to his 
own foot, cutting with the calks. Sometimes 



90 

these wounds are slight ; if but slight smear them 
over with tar to keep the dirt out, and they usual- 
ly get well in a few days. But many times the 
wound will appear but slight on the surface and 
at the same time it is very deep. It is always 
best to examine it and see how deep it is ; if con- 
siderable depth, then there is great danger of its 
resulting in quitter. (See article on quitter.) It 
is necessary that the wound should be kept clean, 
not barely to wash the outside, but to use a sy- 
ringe and cleanse it to the bottom ; wash it out 
once per day with soap and water, then inject the 
cloride of zinc wash, say 1 grain to 3 oz. of water, 
and continue this until it heals. If proud flesh 
gets into it use the healing wash for old sores. 
(See back part of this book.) 

CORNS IN THE FEET 

Are caused by a bruise in the feet. They are 
usually caused by the shoe resting on the sole of 
the foot. In contracted feet, they are caused by 
the hard or horny part of the foot pressing against 
the laminary or soft part. They are seen when the 
blacksmith pairs the bottom of the foot. A red 
spot on the sole of the foot, near to the heel, be- 
tween the frog and the rim. If it is a flat foot, 
cut the corn out as low as possible, put the shoe 
on, and in three weeks take it off, and cut the 
corn out again, as the corn grows faster than the 



91 

rim of the foot, and the object is to keep it cut 
out often until the foot grows down and the corn 
has disappeared. If the foot is contracted, cut it 
out as before, and have the surface of the shoe 
that is next to the foot made in a convex form 
or slanted out, so that when the horse stands on 
it, the heft will cause the foot to keep sliding off 
on both sides and spread the foot without any in- 
jury, then apply the following: linseed oil, 4 oz., 
turpentine, 2 oz., oil of tar, 3 oz., arganum, H 
oz. ; mix and shake well before using, and apply 
every other day around the top of the hoof, down 
one inch, enough to wet it thoroughly, and con- 
tinue this until the corn has disappeared. 

QUITTER 

Is a running sore in the foot that discharges at 
the top. It may be caused by having the foot 
cut by the calk of the other foot, or by a severe 
bruise immediately above the foot, or by being 
pricked with a nail in shoeing, or getting grav- 
eled, and in fact, anything that injures the foot 
so as to cause matter to accumulate ; and not hav- 
ing a free discharge, it burroughs deeper and 
deeper, forming pipes that branch off in different 
directions. The first appearance of quitter is a 
large swelling around the top of the foot, very 
hot and tender, and causing severe lameness. 
This should be poulticed until it becomes soft ; 



92 

then open it with a knife, making the cut as low 
■down as possible ; then inject into it twice or three 
times a day, the chloride of zinc wash, 1 grain 
to the ounce of water. If it has been of long 
standing, and there are pipes formed, which can be 
known by taking a splint from a broom and ma- 
king the end smooth, and probe the sore, being 
careful to examine all around, and if there is a 
pipe formed, take some nitrate of silver, finely pul- 
verized, and add three times as much flour, and 
mix well together ; then wet the splint and dip it 
it into the pow^der and put it into the pipe, and 
repeat this until sure that the powder has 
oame in contact with every part of the pipe. 
This will cause it to swell and be very sore for 
about two days, then there will appear a sort of 
creamy discharge ; then use the zinc wash to heal 
it, injecting in with a syringe. 

THRUSH OR CANKER OF THE FOOT. 

Thrush in the foot is a disease of the frog. It 
is caused by standing in filthy places, and may 
be known by a thin discharge from the frog, and 
portions of it sloughing off, and usually has a 
bad smell. Cut away all the unsound parts of the 
frog, then pore a little veniss turpentine on it, and 
warm it in with a hot iron, and keep the horse in 
a clean place. This scarcely ever causes lame- 
ness. Canker seems to be an aggravated case 



93 

of thrush, and not only the frog becomes affected, 
but the edges of the sole are more or less affected, 
and instead of portions of it sloughing off, there 
will grow rough, ugly looking lumps of fungoid, 
horny substance. All of the diseased parts should 
be out away, then apply the following : 2 oz. pul- 
verized blood-root, J oz. pulv. gum camphor, and 
moisten it with tincture of arnica ; then put a shoe 
on the foot, and put the mixture on, and put 
some cloths over it, and fasten them there by 
springing some thin pieces of iron across, under 
the shoe so as to make it press well on the diseased 
part. Remove this in two days and cut away any 
diseased part that may appear, and dress again, 
and so repeat, until there is no more fungoid 
growths. Then take the same mixture, and add 
enough tincture of arnica to make a wash, and 
apply two or three times per day until healed. 

FOUNDER. 

Founder may be produced by taking grain or 
water into the stomach when it is not in proper 
condition to receive it, or by an over-feed of grain, 
or over- driving, or taking a sudden cold that set- 
tles in the forwar d limbs, and may be known by 
the horse being very stiff, and getting the hind 
leg under the body so as to keep the weight off 
the forward limbs, which makes him appear as 
though he was stiff all over, when in reality, the 



94 

difficulty is most all confined to the forward 
parts. It affects the muscles of the legs, and 
especially the inner or soft part of the feet. The 
horse will refuse to eat, the mouth will be very 
dry and usually very thirsty, and trembles as 
though having a chill. This may come on sud- 
denly, or may be several days in coming on. It 
is what some authors call laminetus, which means 
fever in the soft parts of the foot. If this disease 
is not properly treated, the feet are liable to 
slough off, or the bone of the foot to be pressed 
down out of its natural place, so as to cause the 
foot to bulge on the bottom, and shrink away on 
the top side, and the toe of the hcof to become 
spongy, what is called pumiced feet, or it may af- 
fect the muscles of the leg in such a manner as to 
cause adhesion of the celular tissue, and result 
in permanent stiffness. When it is discovered 
that the horse is foundered, give a large dose of 
physie of any kind that may be most handy, 
then stand the horse in water that will come up 
to his knees. If this is not convenient, wind the 
legs with hay ropes clear up to the body ; then take 
a tea kettle and pour cold water on them every 
few minutes until the physic operates, which will 
usually be in about twenty-four hours. If the 
physic does not operate within twenty four hours, 
repeat the dose, and be sure to keep the legs wet 
with cold water until the physic has operated ; 



95 

and in the mean time, give 1 oz. tincture of lo- 
belia every hour, or as often as may be necessary 
to control the fever, which you can tell by the 
pulse. Do not bleed, for in doing so, you weaken 
the system, and make the more danger of the 
feet sloughing or breaking down. The reason 
why some bleed in cases of this kind is to lessen 
the fever. This may be done with the lobelia 
without bleeding. The object in this treatment 
is to keep the limbs cool, and ease the fever in 
the body until it can be physiced out, and to 
keep the fever down as much as possible in the 
mean time. I have practiced this treatment for 
many years, and have never failed of curing 
founder in its first stages, so that the animal was 
as sound afterwards as before. 

COFFIN JOINT LAMENESS. 

This is an injury of the gristly cartiligeous sub- 
stance that covers the ends of the bones, done by 
fast driving on hard roads, or driving fast down 
hill, or jumping fences, or something of that sort; 
the cartilege is inj ured so that a low grade of im- 
fiammation starts in, then ulceration takes place, 
and eventually the joint will become grown to 
gether. This is a disease that there can but little 
be done for, rest for several months is the best 
that can be done, but it is best for the horse owner 
to know how to detect this disease as it has always 



96 

been considered very diffiault to detect. By rais- 
ing the limb backward and placing the end of the 
thumb into the hollow that is on the back side of 
the limb, down near to the foot, and press hard, 
and if it is the coffin joint lameness the horse will 
flinch badly ; the horse will also travel mostly on 
his toe as though it hurt him to put the heel 
down. After the joint has become grown together 
it may be known by the stifl'ness of the joint, that 
it will not ben d, and there will also be some en- 
largement on the back side in the hollow place 
just above the foot. A horse with this disease 
can be made most comfortable by keeping the toe 
of the foot pealed down on the bottom side, and 
not cut the heal, so as to keep the foot and ancle 
standing up as near like the sucking colt as pos- 
sible. (See article on shoeing.) 

HOOF-BOUND AND CONTRACTED FEET 

Is caused by some inflammation in the feet, per- 
'hsiips bad shoeing, perhaps coffin joint lameness or 
some difficulty of the limb or shoulder, so that 
the horse does not stand on it as much as on the 
others. In either case there is a fair prospect of 
a cure by having them shod properly. In order to 
cure, it is not best to keep the shoe on more than 
three weeks ; it should have all the nails as near 
to the toe as possible, and from the back nail hole 
have the shoe made with a good deal of slant or 



97 

bevel on the out side, so that the heft of the horse 
will cause the foot to slip off on to the out side and 
spread the foot by a gradual process ; do not have 
the shoe spread with the tongs or any instrument 
as that is injurious to the foot ; be careful to have 
the shoe the shape of the foot and no wider than 
the foot at the heel ; then keep the foot soft by 
running in wet pasture, or by applying the follow- 
ing : linseed oil 4 oz. turpentine 2 oz. oil of tar 3 
oz. arganum 1 i oz. Mix and shake, and apply 
every other day around the top of the foot one 
inch down enough to wet it thoroughly. By the 
end of three weeks the hoof will begin to spread 
over the shoe, then have it taken off and spread 
out with the foot again, and so keep doing until 
the feet are out as wide as they should be. In de- 
termining whether a horse has contracted feet, 
lift up the foot and look on the bottom side ; if it 
is contracted the space between the frog and bar 
of the foot will be pinched together. Sometimes 
only one side of the foot is contracted, then only 
have the side of the shoe beveled on that side, 
and treat as above. 

SHOEING. 

It is astonishing to see with what readiness men 
that have no knowledge of the antomy of a horse's 
foot, nor have spent anytime in studying nature's 

designs, will give directions how a horse should 

7 



98 

be shod, as though they thought the foot of the 
horse was a block of wood that thej could cut 
and carve to their own liking ; they seem to think 
that the blacksmith has spent years of time only 
to learn to handle his tools according to their di- 
rections, and usually the more ignorant the owner 
of the horse about the true principal of shoeing, 
the more directions he will give to the smith, and 
especially if he thinks the foot is contracted, to 
direct it to be shod wide at the heel, which only 
makes the foot worse. Owners of horses are 
usually very much at fault in letting the shoes 
remain to long without being removed; no horse 
should be allowed to wear his shoes more than two 
months at one time, and a horse that is used on 
the road should be shod at least every six weeks be- 
cause the toe of the foot grows much faster than the 
heel, and by leaving the shoe too long the toe gets 
grown out long, and throws the ancle back and 
strains the joint, and often is the cause of ring- 
bone, windgalls, contracted tendons, thickened 
ancles, &c. ; and many times shoulder difficulties 
are caused by the toe being so long as to cause 
the horse to make false steps and strain himself in 
various places. A horse's foot should be kept as 
near in the same position as a sucking colt's as pos- 
sible. I shall now proceed to give some plain in- 
structions about shoeing, without argument, mere- 
ly saying that I have practiced these principles 



99 

for many years, and whenever these principles 
have been carried out as directed have never had 
any difficulty with the feet, and not only that, it 
will keep the feet in a handsome and neat form. 
When a horse is to be shod, the less noise and con- 
fusion the better he will behave, the blacksmith 
should never halloo at or scold a horse, and much 
less beat or strike them ; if coaxing does not do, 
take some plan to confine them, as that is much 
safer and does not spoil the disposition of a horse 
or smith. When the foot is raised the blacksmith 
should never try to wrestle with the horse to hold 
the f :ot, but if a reasonable amount of force does 
not hold the foot, let go and confine them in such 
a manner as to oblige them to stand, so as not to 
strain or injure them ; then be careful to cut all 
the clinches so as to pull off the shoe without 
wrenching the foot or allowing the clinches to 
lodge in the foot to- cause lameness; then pear the 
foot on the bottom side on the toe until all the 
dead horn is gone, and nothing but good sound 
horn left; clean out all the dead horn from the bot- 
tom or sole, do not cut the frog only to cut off the 
loose particles, no matter if it does project below 
the shoe, it will do no harm, then with a rasp 
level the heel, leaving as much as possible ; then 
the foot is ready to have the shoe fitted; never at- 
tempt to fit the shoe until the foot is peared. 
Then fit the shoe just the shape of the foot follow- 



100 

ing tae rim of the foot around to tlie frog. It is 
not necessary for the shoe to project any at the 
heel, either at the side or behind. Do not place 
the shoe on to the foot ^hen hot to burn the foot 
as the steam that is generated by the heat will 
penetrate much farther than most persons would 
suppose, and injure the foot; but with a common 
rasp the foot may be leveled so that the shoe will 
rest all the way around alike. Never spring the 
heel to keep them from resting on the foot as that 
brings too much pressure in one place, and causes 
corns, or split hoof, or some other disease; drive 
the nails no farther up than is necessary to get a 
good substantial hold, as in driving them farther 
it cuts the hoof to pieces unnecessarily. Wide 
thin nails are the best, the nails should always be 
as thin as they can be driven so as not to press 
against the inner or sensitive part of the foot; and 
in finishing the foot do not rasp it above the nails, 
for in doing so the cuticle is destroyed and sub- 
jects the foot to injury in getting wet and dry, &e. 
It is not best to have the shoe any heavier than 
is necessary to protect the foot, the calks should 
be no larger than is absolutely necessary, and if 
there are calks on the heel, there should be on the 
toe also, so as to keep the foot standing level; the 
calks should always lean a little from each other, 
so as not to hold dirt or snow; the toe calk should 
always project well forward, so that when the heel 



101 

is raised the toe will still hold, and not slip to 
strain or discourage the horse. Horses that cut 
or interfere should have the inside of the foot 
raised and the outside lowered, either by pearing 
the foot or making the shoe thickest on the inside; 
the object is to tip the ancles apart so as to give 
room for the foot to pass. It is not necessary to 
turn the calk or to bend the heel farther under the 
foot, as they cut with the side of the foot instead of 
the heel. For contracted feet, (See article on hoof- 
bound.) For over-reaching or clickiDg, or cutting 
the forward feet with the hind shoe, sometimes 
the short shoe is best and sometimes the long one; 
the only way is to try first one and then the other. 
The whole science of shoeing consists in keeping 
the foot as near the natural form as possible, for 
when we attempt to force the foot from nature's 
form we do an injury. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

INJURIES. 

POLL-EVIL AND FISTULA. 

This is caused by some injury to the poll of the 
head, or to the wethers. When the poll is injured 
it may be done by hitting it on the upper portion 
of the stable, pulling at the halter, or knocking 
over the head with a club, or by tight reining. 
Fistula may be caused by a bad collar, or by bruis- 
ing when rolling on the ground, by hitting it 
against a stick or stone. Poll-evil in the first 
stage, is a swelling on the top and back part, or 
poll of the head. That is hot and tender, and 
after a time matter accumulates, and forms in a 
sort of sack, then breaks and discharges; the mus- 
cles around then contract this sack until it is in 
an oblong form ; then it is called a pipe. Fistu- 
la is the same thing only located on the wethers. 
When Poll-evil or Fistula first appears, examine 
it carefully with the hand, and if there is no soft 
place, then there is probably no matter formed, 
and it may be driven away. Make a sack of thin 
cloth large enough to cover the swelled place, and 



103 

fill it with coarse salt, then moistea it with wa- 
ter, and pour on it 1 oz. of venus turpentine, and 
bind it on the swelled place at night, lor two or 
three nights, moistening it w^ith water every time 
before using, and if there is no matter accumula- 
ted it W'ill drive it away. If on examining it 
there is a soft place, or you think that there is 
matter there, the sooner it is opened the better ; 
take a seaton needle and put a piece of tape or 
some kind of string into it, and smear the string 
over with common fly blister salve, then put the 
needle down through the swelling, and draw the 
string in and leave it there ; in putting the needle 
through put it in at the soft place and run it out 
as low down as possible ; either tie the ends of 
the string together, or tie a stick into each end, 
so that it will not get pulled out ; turn it once a 
day so as to keep the hole open. Let it remain 
a week or ten days ; then pull it out and it will 
readily heal up, and needs no medicine. If it is 
already broke and discharging, it is then best to 
give the cleansing powders for a week or so, so 
as to get the system in a healthy condition ; then 
wash the sore place off, and make some small 
sticks, a little smaller than a pipe stem, and use 
them for probes. Introduce one of the probes 
into each place that matter is discharging, and 
run them down as far as possible ; that will show 
the depth and direction of the pipes, then take 



104 

the roweling needle, as before directed, and intro- 
dnce it by the side of the probe. The probe will 
serve as a director ; and run it down to the bot- 
tom of the pipe ; by measuring with the probe 
and marking it on the needle, you will know 
when you have got to the bottom. When at the 
bottom take the probe out and guide the needle 
out as low down as possible, and fix the string as 
before directed. There must be one through 
each pipe. Let the string remain ten days, or 
until the matter that discharges becomes bloody ; 
then take it out and it will heal without medicine. 
It is best always to use the rowels if possible. 
Sometimes the pipes run in such a direction that 
it would not be possible to use the rowels ; if such 
is the case take some nitrate of silver and pulverize 
it finely, and add three times as much flour, take 
the probe, wet it, dip it into the powder and 
push it into the pipe, and repeat this until the 
pipes are all filled, and leave it for three days ; 
then with a syringe and soap and water clean it 
all out nicely, and be very sure to keep it clean 
by washing it out three or four times per day, and 
each time after washing inject enough of the fol- 
lowing to wet it nicely : chloride of zinc 2 grains, 
to 1 oz. water, and continue this until it is h aled 
up. If it does not heal up it is because the pipes 
are not all destroyed, and the powdered nitrate of 
silver will have to be used again, as before direc- 



105 

ted. If it is an old standing case, or tlie disease 
seems to be deep seated, or should you fail with, 
the above treatment, then the only chance is to 
cast the horse and cut it open, and take out all 
the diseased parts, and treat it then as any fresh 
wound. The chloride of zinc wash is the best to 
heal it, as it will prevent proud flesh, 1 grain to 
the oz. of water. In treating poll- evil and fistu- 
la it is of the utmost importance to keep it clean, 
and the horse should be kept in a stable, as in 
running at grass and holding the head down, it 
makes it worse, and almost impossible to cure ; 
and after it is cured the horse should not be turn- 
ed out for six months, as holding the head down 
might bring it on again. It is also necessary 
to be very careful to not let the harness rest on 
the place where it has been cured, as the place 
will remain tender for a long time, and there is 
great danger of inducing it to break again. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE VEIN AFTES 
BLEEDING. 

It is scarcely necessary to mention a disease of 
this kind, as it is so seldom met with ; but in 
years gone by, when it was a common thing to 
bleed for most any trifling complaint, it was very 
common. The first appearance of this disease is 
that theeages of the wound will spread apart, and 
there will ooze out a thin, watery fluid ; then a 



106 

small lump will appear, and perhaps several of 
them along the course of the vein. These will 
perhaps break and become running sores, and in 
the end, the vein will be destroyed, and the 
smaller blood vessels will have to perform the 
office of the one destroyed. In the first stages of 
this disease, the treatment must be in repeated 
blistering ; and as often as one blister has healed, 
apply another on the affected part. If the lumps 
break and become running sores, then, with a 
knife, make a cut so as to make them all into 
one ; that is, run the cut from one to the other, 
so as to let them all open, and treat the same as 
any fresh wound. 

FISTULIOUS PARATOIl) DLX^T. 

There is, on the inside of the cheek, a duct or 
pipe that conveys the saliva from the glands into 
the mouth when the horse is eating. Sometimes, 
the mouth of this duct gets closed by getting 
hay seed, or some foreign substance into it, or there 
may be a calculus, or lining enlargement that 
closed the duct, and as the horse eats, the move- 
ment of the jaw causes the glands to pour forth 
the saliva into the duct, and that being closed, it 
breaks through the cheek and makes an unnatu- 
ral opening where the saliva will squirt out when 
the horse moves the jaw. This is not a very 
common complaint, and it is well it is not, as it is 



107 

very difficult to cure. The plan is to first cut the- 
edges of the openiug so as to make them raw^ 
and as soon as the bleeding is stopped, take a good 
sticking plaster, cut into strips, and draw the- 
skin so as to bring the edges together and put the- 
plaster on so as to hold it together ; and it is well 
to put several of them on, one over the other,, 
for the principle is to keep the edges together un- 
til they heal. If you fail the first time, try 
again, until you succeed in keeping them to- 
gether. 

BROKEN KNEE. 

This is usually caused by a fall, or hitting 
against some hard substance, and is usually of 
much more importance than most of horse own- 
ers are aware. Any bruise of the knee joint 
should be attended to immediately, or the worst 
consequences may follow. This injury is usually 
on the forward limb, and if the skin is not bro- 
ken, salt and water, or tincture of arnica, 2 oz. 
in a quart of water, applied every half hour by 
merely wetting the part ; and be sure to keep it 
wet until there is no appearance of inflammation. 
But if the skin is broken and loose below the 
wound, make a hole through the skin at the low- 
est part that it is loose, so that there may be a. 
free discharge below ; then wash the wound off 
by pouring water on it. Do not rub it with a 



108 

sponge or your hands. Then keep it wet as above 
directed, until the matter begins to discharge, 
and be careful to keep the hole open below, and 
do not put any bandages on. Then, instead of 
the above wash, use the chlorade of zinc, say 1 
grain to the oz. of water. Use this by merely 
pouring it on so as to wet the place, four or five 
times per day. The above treatment is all that is 
required, with any injury to the joints, even 
though the joint oil may discharge. This treat- 
ment, properly applied, will stop it in a few days. 

WOUNDS. 

Wounds are of so many different kinds and 
locations that it would hardly be possible to 
describe them all, so I will only give the general 
principles. If a wound has cut any of the blood 
vessels, and they are of any size, they will have 
to be taken up. This is done by catching hold of 
them with a small, sharp hook, and tieing a piece 
of white silk thread around them. If the wound 
is of much size, it must be sewed up ; and be 
•careful to take the stitches deep into the skin, so 
that they will not break out in a few days. A 
white silk cord, thoroughly waxed with beeswax, 
is best, and make each stitch separate ; that is, 
tie each stitch, so that if OLe breaks out it will 
not involve the balance. If the wound is small 
.and deep, then the hole should be made longer 



109 

by cutting, so as to be sure to give a free dis- 
charge. Then keep them wet with salt and wa- 
ter, or tincture of arnica, 4 oz. to one quart of 
water, until it begins to naatterate ; then use the 
chloride of zinc wash, say 1 grain to the oz. of 
water, four or five times per day ; and if proud 
or fungoid flesh should get into the wound, use 
the healing wash for old sores. It is best to nev- 
er bandage a wound on a horse if it is possible to 
get along without it, as the bandage chafes it and 
creates inflammation., 

STRAINS OR SPRAINS. 

"Whenever a horse sprains, strains or bruises 
any part, it should not be neglected, as it may 
result in something very serious. I believe that 
two-thirds of the blemishes that we so often see, 
that are caused by strains and bruises, might be 
avoided if attended to on the start. Many times,, 
when a cord, or tendon, or ligament is strained 
or bruised, there will be no serious symptoms for 
several days. Then it will take an inflammation 
of a serious character; and when these organs 
once become diseased they are very difficult to- 
manage. Neglect in a case of this kind is dan- 
gerous indeed. The principle to be adopted in 
all cases of strains, bruises, or injuries of this 
kind is to subdue inflammation. This can always 
be done by keeping the part constantly wet with 



110 

tinything that is cooling. For instance, salt and 
water, tincture of arnica and water, or any cool- 
ing application, but it must be kept on cold all 
the time, and if by neglect or inattention, mat- 
ter accumulates, then the place should be opened, 
always being careful to open in such a position that 
there can be a free discharge, and then use the 
wash aa above directed. 

OPERATIONS. 

NERVATOMY. 

This is dividing the nerve of the forward leg, 
just above the ankle, to destroy the sense of feel- 
ing to the foot, and is highly recommended by 
some of the English authors for certain diseases 
of the foot, but in this country, it has got into 
disrepilte, because it has been indiscriminately 
practiced by men that either did not know the 
consequence, or did not care ; aad the result was, 
that in most cases, horses that have been nerved 
have lost their feet by sloughing off. But for all 
this, no doubt it is a humane operation, and re- 
sults in much benefit when judiciously applied, 
in certain cases. 

TREACHOOTARY 

. Consists in making a hole through the wind-pipe, 
about fourteen inches below the jaw, and insert- 
ing a tube about one inch in thickness, for 



Ill 

the horse to breathe through in cases where they 
are liable to strangle by some throat disease, and 
let it remain until the disease is cured, then re- 
move the tube and let it heal. 

ROWELING. 

This is done by threading a piece of tape into 
a seton needle, and putting the needle through 
the akin, and draw the tape in and let it remain, 
either tying the ends together or tying small 
sticks into each end to prevent it from getting 
pulled out, and to put something on to the tape 
to create a discharge. I generally use common 
fly blister salve. All rowels should be pulled 
through every day so as to keep the hole open. 
Rowels are used many times in cases of inflamma- 
tion of the eyes. Then they are put into the 
cheek, three or four inches below the eye. They 
are used in most cashes of blood diseases. Then 
they are put into the breast, and I generally, in 
cases of this kind, put in at least two. In water 
farcy, they are put into the swelled part. In the 
poll evil and fistula, they are put down through 
the pipes. They are frequently used in swellings 
and callouses, and whenever they are used they 
should be allowed to remain as long as they dis- 
charge freely ; and in some cases, it is best to 
put more blister salve on the string and draw it 
in, to renew the discharge. When it begins to 



112 

dry up, and it is thought best to take them out, 
merely cut the string and pull them out, and it 
will heal up itself, and will not need medicine. 

DOCKING 

Is cutting off the tail, and it is done whenever it is 
wished to make a bob-tail. Many times, horses 
have very long and heavy tails, so that they do 
not carry up, and by cutting a piece off the tail 
it will improve them ; and it is also done when 
the tail is crooked near the end. It is done by 
first parting the hair nice and even at the place 
where you wish to cut, and tying the hair that 
is designed to leave on the tail, back out of the 
way, then lay a block on the top of the hips, and 
stand by the side of the horse ; draw the tail 
up over the back until it rests on the block 
in the right position, and let an assistant stand 
on the other side of the horse and hold it there ; 
then place some sharp instrument, like a chisel, 
on it, and with a blow from a mallet, or hammer, 
cut it off. Be sure to cut it at one blow. Then 
let it bleed a few minutes, and bind on the end a 
small bunch of hog manure, or horse manure, and 
pull the hair down over it, and tie it in such a 
manner as to keep the manure tight up against 
the end of the tail, and that will stop the bleed- 
ing. Let it remain for twenty-four hours, then 
take it off and wash the tail clean, and it will 



113 

heal without difficulty, and leave scarcely any 
bald place. Do not burn the end of the tail, or 
cord it tight to stop the bleeding, as that will 
cause the hair near the end to drop out and leave 
too large a bald place. 

PKICKING OR NICKING. 

Nicking is to take a piece of the cord of the tail 
out, so as to make the tail stationarily erect. This is 
an old-fashioned practice, and is not used now. 
Pricking is merely to separate the cords on the low- 
er corners of the tail, so as to allow the tail to be 
raised higher than it otherwise would be. The tail 
may be cut off so as to make a bob-tail or not, ac- 
cording to fancy. To prick a horse, place him in 
stocks or fasten them so they cannot kick the opera- 
tor. Stand behind the horse and grasp the tail with 
the left hand and raise it so it will be straight up, 
and with the right hand, insert a knife a little up 
on one side, near to the edge of the hair, and 
about one inch from the body, and push the blade 
towards the center of the bottom of the tail un- 
til it reaches nearly to the center, but do not push 
it clear out. Then turn the edge of the knife 
towards you and cut until you feel the edge of 
the knife against the skin with the thumb, or un- 
til the cord is cut entirely off. Then change 
hands, and with the left hand, cut the other side 

in the same manner. Once cutting on each side 

8 



114 

will be enougli, if it is only wished to raise tlie 
tail without cutting it off, or if it is wished to 
have it straight from the body out ; but if it is 
wished to have a half jockey tail, or to have it a 
little curved up, then cut again on both sides, 
about two inches farther out ; and if it is wished 
to have a full jockey tail, or to curve well up, 
then make still another cut on each side, about 
one and a half inches farther out towards the 
end. If it is merely wished to raise the tail, it is 
not necessary to put the horse in pulleys, but 
every day give the tail a sudden and hard pull up 
over the back for three or four weeks ; but if it 
is desired to make a bob-tail, then stand the 
horse in a narrow stall, and attach a pulley to the 
upper floor, on each side, so that they will be 
about opposite the horse's hips. They should be 
attached by strings so as to allow them to turn 
either way ; then attach a cord in the center to 
the hair on the end of the tail, and let each end 
of the cord run up over the pulleys and down to 
the floor, and attach just enough weight to each 
end of the cord to pull the tail up a little higher 
than it is wished to have it when it is done. Give 
the horse some feed when he is first put in the 
pulleys so as to attract his attention until he gets 
used to them ; and it is necessary to keep him 
standing in a position to keep the tail straight all 
the time he remains in the pulleys. After the first 



115 

night, he will lay down and make himself 
comfortable, and thej generally gain in flesh 
faster while in the pulleys than at any other time. 
The next day after the pricking take him out 
and wash the tail clean, and move the horse gent- 
ly for about fifteen minutes, then put him back, 
and do so every day for four or five days ; if the 
tail gets hot and feverish keep it wet with salt and 
water so as not to loosen the hair. In about a 
week cut the tail off, (See Docking,) leaving the 
length about one inch for every hundred pounds 
weight of the horse, thenpuUy again but be care- 
ful to not use any of the hairs at the end of the 
tail, but use the hairs that are farther back, and 
keep the horse in the pulley for two weeks steady, 
then afterwards keep him in when not at work 
for two weeks longer. 

CROOKED TAILS. 

Many horses carry their tails to one side, which 
is considered by most horse men as a serious de- 
fect ; this may be remedied by cutting the cord 
on the side that the tail crooks to, the same as 
pricking. (See pricking and nicking.) The cut 
must be made about the point where the crook is 
and only cut on one side. Sometimes it is necessa- 
ry to cut it in two, and, even then place as the 
judgment of the operator may decide ; then the 
tail should be kept tied around to the collar on 



116 

the opposite side when the horse is not at work 
for three weeks, so as to keep the ends of the cords 
apart until the vacant place fills up so as to 
lengthen the cord on that side. 

BLEEDING. 

The practice of bleeding horses for every diffi- 
culty that used to be so common, and I am sorry 
to say is still practiced by some professional horse 
doctors, I believe is abandoned by practitioners 
on the human subject, and why not abandon it on 
horses, fcr every thinking man must acknowledge 
that blood is never drawn from the system without 
injury ; but there are some cases where the symp- 
toms are so urgent that we have to bleed to give 
temporary relief, even though it does injury in 
the end ; and above all the practice of bleeding in 
the mouth I consider most cruel and barbarious. 
What would be thought of the physician that 
would bleed his patients in the mouth. I believe 
that some claim there are great results from allow- 
ing a horse to swallow the blood when bled in the 
mouth ; even was this so, would it not be better to 
draw it from the vein and drench with it, then 
the practitioner would know how large a dose he 
was giving. The most convenient place to bleed 
is in the jugular or neck vein, place a cord around 
the neck near to the body and draw it tight, and 
the vein will fill with blood so that it may be 



117 

plainly seen, then place the fleam on and with a 
suitable stick knock it in and the blood will spout 
forth, or it may be done with a lance or common 
knife. Take the blade between the thumb and fore 
finger allowing enough of the blade to project to 
penetrate the vein so that the thumb and finger 
will form a guard, and not allow the blade to enter 
too far, and always make the cut lengthways of 
the vein. The vein may be penetrated wherever 
it shows itself the most plain. As soon as you have 
got blood enough slack on the cord and it will al- 
most stop bleeding ; then stick a pin through the 
edges of the skin and draw them together, and 
pull a little hair out of the mane and wind it 
around ; pull it out in twenty-four hours after- 
wards. Sometimes it is necessary to bleed below 
the eye in acute inflammation of the eye ; place 
the thumb of the left hand across the face about 
two inches below the eye and press on to it, and 
the vein will show itself above ; then with any 
sharp pointed knife open the vein, and a very little 
blood will answer, and it will not be necessary to 
pin up the hole as it rarely ever bleeds enough to 
do injury ; but bleeding below the eye is simply 
temporary relief consequently it is necessary to 
proceed at once with medicine for the eye. 

SURGICAL OPERATIONS. 

It will be impossible to describe the different 
surgical operations that are necessary some times ; 



118 

but a few plain words of advice will perhaps not 
be out of the way. Before attempting even the 
smallest surgical operation, the operator should 
have a correct knowledge of the parts where he 
is going to operate, as there are sometimes serious 
results from cutting that is done by the hand of 
the ignorant. To make any surgical operation, 
contemplate well the part where you are going to 
operate, and make up your mind before com- 
mencing just where you are going to cut, and how 
much you are to cut, and always be careful to 
accomplish as much at one cut as possible. Draw 
the knife smoothly, so as not to mangle ; be sure 
that the patient is well secured before commencing, 
also be sure that every thing is at hand that may 
be wanted — water, sponge, needles, cord, knife, a 
hook to take up the blood-vessels, and caustic to 
stop the bleeding, and all necessary dressings to 
dress the wound. In sewing up a wound make 
each stitch by itself; that is, tie each stitch before 
making another, so that should one stitch break 
it would not affect the next. Never cut out any 
of the loose skin where you have taken out a 
tumor, as it will eventually all shrink down and 
leave the less scar. The operator should always 
allow the assistants to confine or cast the horse 
under his direction, so as to keep his nerves calm. 
Always be sure that there is as little noise and con- 
fusion as possible when cutting. Should the 



119 

horse struggle, wait until the struggles cease. If 
there is any skin to be kept out of the way, put 
a cord through it with a needle, and allow one of 
the assistants to hold it ; and also if there is a 
tumor being cut out, put one in for the operator 
to hold on to and turn in either direction, as the 
case may require. The operator should never be 
governed by what the bystanders may say, but 
be careful and keep himself free from excitement, 
and work with a bold and firm hand, and good 
common sense will direct nearly everything that 
is to be done. 

DISLOCATED JOINTS AND BROKEN LIMBS. 

It will hardly be possible to give any correct 
knowledge on this part of the subject, without the 
reader has a correct knowledge of Anatomy, but 
still some plain directions will not be out of place, 
as it is not always possible to obtain the services 
of a veterinary surgeon. Happily dislocated joints 
are not very common with horses. After a joint 
is dislocated the sooner it is put into place the 
easier it can be done. The directions here given 
for dislocated joints will answer equally as well 
for broken limbs. If the joint has become so badly 
swollen that you cannot feel the joint plainly, 
then go to work with warm hop tea and keep 
bathing the part until you get the swelling 
enough reduced to operate. I will hear relate a 



120 

case tlidt I once treated which, will serve as a 
guide. A fine four year old stallion dislocated 
his ankle so that the foot turned almost up by the 
side of the leg ; the owner was about to destroy 
the horse, but finally concluded to send for me. 
"When I arrived, after examining the limb, I or- 
dered one the assistants to bathe the joint with 
tincture ot lobelia and warm water, to relax the 
parts, and to continue the bathing for half an 
hour. I then ordered a bandage to be prepared 
of good stout cloth, about two and a half inches 
wide and five or six yards long, and to have it 
starched with good flour starch. I then rolled it 
up into a small bunch and prepared some splints 
about eight inches long and one inch wide, and 
then I ordered the horse to be cast, which was 
soon done, and the well legs well fastened togeth- 
er. I put a long strap around the foot of the 
limb that I was to operate on, and had one of the 
assistants take hold of it and pull straight out, 
commencing gently at first, and increasing the 
force unil it was sufficiently extended, and then 
with my hands I crowded the bones into place, 
and allowed one of the attendents to support the 
limb while I bound the bandage on by putting it 
round and round, and drawing it tighter every 
time ; after I had wound it several times around 
I placed the splints on and bound the bandage 
over them and pinned the end. I then allowed 



121 

the horse to rise, the next day he could bear a lit- 
tle heft on the toe. I let the bandage remain one 
week, then removed it and applied a bandage of 
flannel cloth, and allowed him to wear that one 
week ; and in three weeks after I set the joint the 
horse was driven to a buggy and run away with- 
out injuring the joint. 

The above will I think be sufficient to instruct 
how to manage most of cases of this kind. Good 
common sense will direct most any person how to 
manage a broken or dislocated limb. 

HOW TO GIVE mp:dicines. 

Some kind of medicines may be given by put- 
ting it into the food or drink, but more frequently 
it has to be given in a drench or pills. Never 
drench a horse through the nose as it is danger- 
ous. When you want to drench a horse, put a 
bridle on to him and allow an assistant to get up 
over head in the barn and draw the head up, and 
be sure to get it well up ; do not pull the tongue 
out for the horse needs the use of it in swallow- 
ing ; then with a long necked bottle or horn, pour 
enough into the mouth for one swallow, and if the 
horse does not readily swallow it, wait and give 
him time ; and if that does not do, place the hand 
over the nostrils and stop the breathing for a 
moment, and as you let go, give the head a sud- 
den start or push, and whatever there is in the 



122 

moutli will go down. Never pound the throat or 
halloo at the horse, but take tinie enough and get 
it down without injury, or abusing the sick horse. 
To give pills get a stick like a whip stalk, and cut 
a notch in the end, cover the pill with very thin 
paper and grease it with some soft oil ; put it on 
the end of the stick ; let the assistant raise the 
head and pull the tongue out at one side ; you 
then grasp the lip on the upper jaw to assist in 
keeping the mouth open, and to steady the head^ 
then put the pill as far back on the tongue as 
possible, and turn the stick so that it will drop 
off, and let go the tongue, and it will go down. 



CHA]PTER XV. 

Ik 

RECEIPTS. 

SPAVIN AND RINGBONE iMEDICINE. 

This medicine is to be used for any case of 
ringbone or spavin. It is good for windgalls, 
thickened glands, and old callouses. Apply as 
for windgalls. Take of cantharides, 2 oz., mercu- 
rial ointment, 4 oz., corrosive sublimate, 3 drams, 
turpentine, 3 oz., tincture of iodine, 2 oz., eu- 
phrobium, 1 oz. ; mix well with 2 lbs. of lard. 
If for ringbone or bone-spavin, cut off the hair 
from the part affected, and merely grease the 
lump with the ointment, rubbing it well in with 
the hand. In two days, grease the part with lard, 
and in four days, wash it off with water and 
soap and apply the ointment again, and repeat it 
every four days. If for windgalls, bog-spavin, 
curbs, splints, enlarged glands, or any unnatural 
growths, lumps, or callouses, apply only every six 
days. 

HOW TO MAKE DROPS TO MAKE OLD HORSES 
YOUNG. 

Take tincture of asafoetida, 1 oz., tincture can- 
tharides, 1 oz., antimony, 2 oz., fennegreak, 1 oz. 



124 

fourth proof braady, i galloa ; let it stand 10 or 
12 days, and give ten drops in a pail of water of 
one gallon. 

NERVE AND BONE LINIMENT. 

Ooe oz. spirits of turpentine, i oz. oil arganum, 

1 oz. oil spike, 1 oz. British, oil, 1 oz. tine, of myrrh, 

2 oz. compound tine, of myrrh or tine, of capsi- 
oum, 2 oz. tincture camphor. For any old chron- 
ic complaint, add 1 oz. tincture of cantharides. — 

1 have used this liniment for over fifteen years 
•on man and beast, for strains, bruises, cuts, burns, 
and particularly rheumatism. It will pay every 
•one to keep some of it on hand. 

CLEANSING POWDERS. 

These are good for all cases where the blood is out 
of order, such as farcy, yellow water, grease heel, 
indigestion, worms, loss of appetite. They are to be 
used as a general cleansing condition or regula- 
ting medicine, and wherever it is used it is high- 
ly spoken of. Take 4 oz. powder gentian, 4 oz. 
pulverized blood root, 4 oz. golden seal, IJ oz. 
nitre, J oz. crude antimony, i oz. calomel ; mix all 
well together, and give one large spoonful at a 
dose, in wet food. They are perfectly safe. If the 
horse is troubled with worms or yellow water, add 

2 oz. more calomel. 



125 

IODINE OINTMEKT, EXCELLENT FOR MAN OR 

BEAST. 

For rhenmatism, sprains, burns, swellings^ 
bruises, or any inflammation on man or beast ; 
chapped bands or lips, black eyes, or any kind 
of bruises. Take fresb butter, 2 lbs., tincture of 
iodine, 3 oz., oil arganum, 2 oz. Mix these well 
together for fifteen minutes, and it is fit for use. 
Apply every night and rub in well with the 
hands. If for human flesh, lay on with flannel. 

LINIMENT FOR SWELLINGS. 

Take linseed oil, i pint, tincture iodine, 3 oz., 
turpentine, 4 oz., oil of arganum, 1 oz. ; shake 
well and apply it every day ; rub it well with 
your hand ; wash the part well with soap and 
water before applying it. This is good for any 
swelling. 

LINIMENTS FOR CONTRACTED TENDONS OF THE 

NECK, OR ANY CONTRACTED TENDONS 

OR CORDS. 

One pint of sweet oil, 1 oz. gum camphor, 1 oz. 
tincture of opium. Apply and rub the part well 
with the hand. 

HEALING WASH FOR OLD SORES. 

Four oz. pulverized blood root, 1 oz. camphor 
gum, 6 oz. tincture of arnica, and add enough 
alcohol to make one quart. Shake it well, then 
let it settle and it is fit for use. 



CONTENTS. 



»♦ » 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGB. 

DISEASES OP THE BRAIN, 12 

luflammation of the Brain — Blind Staggers — Hydrophobia 
or Madness — Tetanis or Lock Jaw — Paralysis, Partial or 
Complete. 



CHAPTER II. 

DISEASES OF THE EYE, 18 

CHAPTER III. 

THE MOUTH, 20 

Lampers — Canker or Sore Mouth. 

CHAPTER IV. 

THE NOSTRILS, : 22 

Nasal Polypus. 

CHAPTER V. 

THE THROAT, 24 

Sore Throat — Cough — Choking. 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE CHEST, ITS DISEASES, 28 ' 

Lung Fever— Dropsy of the Chest — Heart Disease. 



7 
'I 



127 
CHAPTER VII. 

DISEASES OF THE STOMACH, 34 

Inflammation of the Stomach — Chronic Inflammation of the 
Stomach — Crib Biting — Bots. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE BOWELS, 42 

Spasmodic CoHc — Windy Cohc — Inflammation of the Bow- 
els — Acute Dysentery — Chronic Dysentery — Worms — 
Influenza. 

CHAPTER IX. 

DISEASES OE THE URINARY ORGANS, 51 

Inflammation of the Kidneys — Inflammation of the Bladder 
— Stoppage of the Water — Stone in the BUidder — Bloody 
Urine — Diabetes, or too free a discharge of the Water. 

CHAPTER X. 

DISEASES OF THE SKIN, 56 

Mange — Ring Worm — Surfeit — Lice — Larvae, or Grubs in 
the Skin — Warts— Tumors — Swelled or Stocked Legs — 
Sitfast — Grease Heel— Malanders and Sallanders — 
Scratches or Cracked Heel. 

CHAPTER XI. 

SPECIFIC DISEASES, 63 

Heayes or Wind Broken — Mellanoises — Water Farcy — Pur- 
pura Hemorrhagica — Distemper or Strangles — Glanders — 
Button Farcy— I'ellovy Water. 

CHAPTER XII. 

DISEASES OF THE LIMBS, 74 

Bone Spavin — Splint — Ringbone — Curb — Bog Spavin and 
Thoroughpin — Stringhalt — Shoulder Jam and Sweeny — 
Capped Knee — Capped Hock— Capped Elbow— The Stifle 
-^Blood Spavin. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS OF THE FEET, . . 88 

Cracked Hoof— False Quarter— Seedy Toe— Calked Tread 
and Over-reaching — Corns in the Feet — Quitter— Thrush 
or Canker of the Foot— Founder — Coffin Joint Lameness 
— Hoof Bound and Contz-acted Feet — Shoeing. 



128 
CHAPTER XIV. 

INJURIES, 102 

Poll-Evil and Fistula — Inflammation of the Veins after 
Bleeding — Fistulious Paratoid Duct — Broken Knee — 
Wounds — Strains or Sprains — Operations — Nervatomy — 
Treachootary — Roweling — Docking — Pricking or Nicking 
— Crooked Tail — Bleedmg — Surgical Operations — Dislo- 
cated Joints — How to give Medicine. 

CHAPTER XV. 

RECEIPTS, 123 

Spavin and Ringbone Medicine — How to make the Drops to 
make the old horse young— Nerve and Bone Liniment — 
Cleansing Powders — Iodine Ointment — Liniment for 
Swellings — Liniment for Contracted Tendons of the Neck 
— Healing Wash for old sores. 



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